ã€ŠReborn as God: The strongest systemã€‹


 Chapter 1 Waking Up

    Esdras was aware of a cool sensation enveloping him as heid there, he feltfortable as if he was waking up from the best sleep of his life.

    He did not remember thest time he felt truly happy after waking up, most of the time he found himself even more exhausted. Sleep itself had be a chore.

    Esdras stretched his bodynguidly, enjoying the moment, when he opened his eyes he was greeted with a most unexpected sight. The stars.

    He was flying through space while curled up in an nebulous protective shell of light. He was awestruck and then he remembered.

    ''Oh, that''s right. I¡­ died. So it was real huh.''

    He looked at the emptiness in front of him but to his eyes he saw something that others wouldn''t be able to see. It was a system panel.

    Name: Esdras

    Status: currently being transmigrated to the world of Arandos.

    Esdras felt his eyes grow heavy he recalled what he sawst before this, and went into a deep sleep once again.

    The divine spark of this neswalker was divided into nine shards and scattered throughout the universe. And he just found one of them.

    [Ding- host is in a unsuitable world]

    [Initiate transfer to a higher level world]

    [ERROR! Missing coordinates!]

    [Using the closest shard as a coordinate!]

    [ERROR! Host is devoid of any energy to sustain the dimensional travel, using the remaining power of the shard as recement!]

    Esdras waspletely taken back, he didn''t even know if what he was seeing was true. But when looked down at his body he saw it burning a cold blue fire and scattering in the wind he nked out.

    Hisst thought was: oh, fuck me.

    ****

    "My head really hurts¡­."

    This was Esdras''s first thought upon waking up. It felt as if there was a cut on his head, hurting so badly that it seemed as if his head was about to split open.

    The scene in front of him seemed like he was riding on a horse carriage. His body continued to bounce up and down along with the carriage''s movement, impacting his wound.

    It was so painful that Esdras had to suck in several sharp breaths. Opening his eyes, he surveyed his surroundings. He was lying on the cold wooden floor of the carriage and there was no one else around.

    He felt the cold beneath him and attempted it to raise himself toy down on the proper seats at least. But at that moment he felt a sharp pain in his head.

    The pain was sudden and brought many memories that did not belong to him along with it. He touched his head and his hand touched blood.

    His head was badly wounded and bleeding. It was not just the memories that caused the pain. But he couldn''t endure any longer and his eyes rolled backwards.

    [Synchronizing the host''s memories with the new body.]

    After a certain amount of time he opened his eyes again and noticed that the carriage stopped moving.

    He touched his head but didn''t feel the pain anymore, in fact his wound healed sopletely that he doubted it''s existence in the first ce.

    "A-at least let us bury the body somewhere¡­"

    "This trash doesn''t deserve a good burial. We should use his body as bait for the forest beasts."

    He heard several voicesing closer to the carriage.

    Suddenly the door of the carriage was violently opened unceremoniously. There were several bright haired and light-eyes youths looking at him in shock.

    "H-he''s a live?" The big guy in the center looked at him like he saw a ghost, his face paled and he took a step back, "h-how? But I was sure¡ª"

    "Esdras! You''re awake, we were all worried for you that''s why we let you ride in this carriage on your own."

    The second boy was shorter and had a sheepish smile and some tears at the corner of his eyes like he was about to cry. His name was David.

    "Boo, this is boring. We thought you died."

    The third person at the door of the carriage was a girl with dark brown hair and a mean smile, "wouldn''t it have been better for you if you just silently died?" She covered her mouth anughed. She was Tara.

    "Ah, I''m fine," Esdras said, he lowered his head and recalled who these guys were, they were his fellow apprentices in the mage tower.

    Seeing that Esdras had awoken and was fine, the big guyughed awkwardly, "Haha¡­.Esdras, you''re finally awake. If you had awoken even a few more minutester, you probably wouldn''t have been able to make it to lunch. I assume that you don''t want to starve!"

    Esdras lowered his eyes. After some thought, he figured out this person''s name.

    "Thanks Robert."

    Robert was the person who injured him in a ''spar'' after the old owner of this body challenged him. And although he did not kill him outright he gave Esdras a wound that would eventually lead to his death.

    And it did. That''s how Esdras was able to take over this body.

    Robert was a level 4 apprentice mage he could be a true mage at any moment and Esdras was level 1 apprentice mage, the disparity was obvious between them.

    "I''ming, you guys go on first, I have to go relieve myself." Esdras acted like he didn''t care about Robert and he actually didn''t.

    For now.

    He had more pressing matters. Out by a stream, several carriages and many people, most of whom were soldiers mored together.

    Esdras walked a bit further away from them and looked at his reflection in the water. He had sky-blue eyes and thick blond hair which was marred by a streak of dried blood.

    [Ding! Scanningplete! Assessmentplete! Assimtion at 50%. Complete the process?]

    After he washed up he heard the notification of the system and looked at the blue panel hovering in the air.

    "Yes."

 Chapter 2 New World

    "No, stop." Esdras stopped himself in time because although he went a fair distance away he felt several eyes ncing at him from time to time.

    After all, he survived unexpectedly despite all expectations. Esdras wanted to keep a low profile before he understood the situation he was inpletely.

    He did get the previous Esdras''s memories but he had a hard time coping with his new reality. To him, just a moment ago he was a normal man on Earth.

    Not only that, if these memories were true the he was in a very dangerous situation right now. He was in the middle of an active war zone and he was even participating in it.

    Suddenly out of the crowded carriages that encircled the camp there were many soldiers in medieval armor, through that mess a girl came running over to him.

    She had long purple robes that could not hide the curves of her body.it was even more enchanting as the robes failed to conceal them.

    Her light purple hair was let down like a waterfall, her beautiful face and amber eyes showed a very worried expression.

    "E-Esdras, oh, thank god," she panted once she stopped very close to him, "let me take a look at you. T-the wound must still be hurting."

    She tried to reach out and check up on his head injury but Esdras quickly backed away and raised his hands.

    "It''s fine, Celine. It''s really not as bad as it seemed. I will just put on some bandages."

    Esdras definitely could not allow anyone to take a closer look at his ''wounded'' head.

    In the carriage the other three only saw the dried blood and couldn''t take a closer look.

    If people found out that an injury like that healedpletely in such a short amount of time he would be ced under suspicions of ck magic.

    In this world clerics could not cast healing miracles like they did in games and other media. There were no healing potions or such, the only kind of potion that existed was a Mana restoring potion.

    At least this is what he knew from the previous owner of the body.

    "Th-that Robert, he went out of line!" Celine clenched her fists and pouted her lips looking very upset, "I will tell senior Ron to punish him."

    "It''s fine, I challenged him to a spar anyway. And fortunately I didn''t die so he technically didn''t break the rules. Let''s just forget about it alright?"

    "But, he can''t get away with it¡­" Celine was still indignant, "you, this happened to you because of me. If the head maid was here she would have scolded me."

    Yes, the previous owner of the body challenged Robert because he was openly flirting and harassing Celine which was an insult to Esdras.

    Celine was Esdras''s personal maid before she was a fellow apprentice and she was the only person who followed Esdras to the mage tower when he was sent off five years ago.

    When his magic talent was discovered when he was eleven, his uncle did everything in his power to enlist him in a mage tower.

    But what no one expected was that, when Celine was tested in the mage tower her talent was discovered too, and she had a tremendous talent too.

    Unlike Esdras who was barely qualified, no, even that was an understatement, his talent was trash. This is why even after five years of study he was still a level one apprentice.

    Celine was level four, and she studied for only three years because no one thought about testing her talent as she was just a maid.

    However as soon as she was discovered she shot through the ranks and now she was on the brink of bing a true mage.

    "I''m going to the tent I feel tired," Esdras wanted to be left alone so he can sort through all of this and make a n to move on.

    "Wait, at least take some food. You need to eat something." Celine said as she looked at him leaving.

    "I''ll get somethingter." With that Esdras scurried away. He was bothered by her but he understood her rtionship with the previous Esdras.

    In fact she stopped calling him master only after his instance but she still couldn''t get out of the habit of acting like a maid.

    Which she still was technically but the old Esdras saw her more like a friend than a maid.

    Esdras realized that he didn''t have his tent set up so he called two of the soldiers to do it for him. They did so withoutint.

    After all, he may be the lowest of the mages but he was still a step above regr people.

    Within the tent Esdras took out a white shirt, tore it apart and made it into a make shift bandage. He then tied it around his head firmly.

    He needed to cover it up, at least for the next few days.

    That Robert, he certainly didn''t do this by ident. He first provoked Esdras by openly harassing Celine and then injured him badly without killing him right away.

    Killing between fellow apprentices was prohibited, but it was Esdras who challenged Robert and he didn''t even die during the spar. It was obviously well nned.

    If Robert killed him during the spar he would have to face a fate worse than death by senior Ron, a true mage. So the n was done to avoid any responsibility.

    After he was injured he was left alone in a moving carriage, because no one wanted to step on shit. They did not even send for a physician to see him.

    Heh heh! How scheming! "Fine! No matter what, since I have taken over your body, if I have the chance, I will take revenge for you!"

    After that he called ''status'' in his mind. Before hepleted the assimtion with the divine shard he wanted to see the previous Esdras''s stats.

 Chapter 3 Upgrade Your Talent!

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    ss: apprentice mage Lv.0 (10/30 EXP)

    Physique: 1

    Agility: 1

    Intelligence: 1

    Spirituality: 0 (+2)Mana: 1

    Mystical talent: 0

    Martial talent: 0

    Esdras marveled at the system, which was obviously a manifestation of the divine shard the fused with his soul.

    But he was also dismayed at the stats that he saw. The worst part was the talent values which he did not expect to see.

    He focused his mind on the two values and saw an extended exnation.

    Mystical talent, refers to the maximum potential that could be achieved by a living being. This includes all magical and mystical arts.

    Martial talent, refers to the maximum potential that could be achieved by a living being. This includes all martial arts and techniques.

    It was pretty much what he expected. But there was one thing that bothered him.

    Esdras was tested for his talent before and after joining the mage tower, so howe his mystical talent was measured as zero? It should at least be one.

    His uncle could have faked the first result to ship him off but he couldn''t have faked the second one. Furthermore, his uncle wouldn''t dare to try and deceive a mage no matter what.

    However when he thought about it he came up with a guess, it''s because he did not know the standers of the system, or rather the divine shard.

    To the denizens of this world he may be considered to have a little bit of talent but to the system, he was absolute trash.

    Well, that was all about to change now.

    [Assimtion at 50%. Complete the process?]

    "Yes!"

    Esdras felt an explosion going off in his head, he felt the fusion between his body and soul with the divine shard. And then a heat wave washed all over him, his entire existence shed before his eyes.

    Esdras was a keyboard warrior on Earth, but he was not as normal as he might seem. He was from a special family.

    He was from a family of wealth and sess but that fortune wasn''t entirely natural.

    His ancestor followed a fallen meteor and in the spot where it fell, he found a mysterious stone b. The b was engraved with strange symbols and patterns.

    As he observed the stone b he felt healthier and smarter although he did not understand the symbols on it he knew that it was valuable so he took it and passed it in the family for nine generations.

    His family obtained greater intelligence as time went on and built a great empire of wealth and prosperity that continued to grow one generation after another.

    As they got into the modern age, his grandfather who was deeply fascinated by the stone b decided to perform tests on it.

    He brought machine guns and explosives trying to pry the stone b open but it did not leave even a scratch.

    As for Esdras, everyone in the family said that he shared his grandfather''s obsession. And he agreed. He always thought there was more to the stone b than just increasing intelligence.

    And he was right.

    When he tried to write down the symbols on the stone b he would always forget some parts even when he was looking directly at them.

    So instead of that he focused his attention on the biggest and central symbol on it. The more he looked at it the moreplicated it became in his mind but he was getting closer.

    He knew something was bound to happen when he could fully construct the symbol in his mind.

    On that fateful day he finally did it. He looked at the stone b through a bulletproof ss casing, even though it didn''t need it.

    But something happened when hepleted the symbol in his mind the stone te started shining.

    Then it turned into many specks of light and passed through the casing as if it didn''t exist. The stone b disappearedpletely.

    Before he could do anything, the light particles rushed into him and his mind went into a trance.

    It fused with his soul, and he was bombarded with information, now he knew what the stone b was, it was a shard of a divine spark left behind by a god-like being known as the neswalkers who dominated the universe in the ancient past.

    Esdras woke up feeling refreshed, better than ever. He called in his mind ''status''!

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    Race: Human (world wyrm)

    ss: apprentice mage Lv.0 (0/30 EXP)

    Physique: 1

    Agility: 1

    Intelligence: 2

    Spirituality: 3

    Mana: 0

    Origin points: 10

    EXP: 0

    Mystical talent: 0 (0/1 OP)

    Martial talent: 0 (0/1 OP)

    Esdras pondered on this changed, unexpectedly he did not be a peerless being immediately.

    There was a new skill page but he did not check it out immediately.

    He was not down for long he just had to work with what he had, which was plenty. The key here was that he could actually improve his talent by spending Origin points.

    Esdras was going to focus on the mystical talent because he always liked ying sorcerers and mages in games.

    Moreover he honestly did not like the idea of fighting someone with a sword from a close distance.

    However the main reason was that the most mainstream in this world were mages, they held the highest social standing.

    Esdras upgraded his mystical talent by one.

    Mystical talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    However the next upgrade costs more, he pressed on.

    Mystical talent: 2 (0/3 OP)

    Again!

    Mystical talent: 3 (0/8 OP)

    Esdras eyes widened at the price of the next upgrade with has be out of his reach so he fixed his attention on the martial talent.

    Martial talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    Esdras had three Origin Points left he could upgrade the martial talent one more time but he stopped himself.

    He decided to save on the remaining points until he figured out how to farm them and he had a feeling that it was not going to be easy.

    Esdras looked at his hands, he didn''t feel any different at all. ''''What''s going on? Was it a scam?!''

    Somehow he had this absurd thought before convulsing and falling down face first.

    ''Fuck, I''m tired of passing out¡­''

 Chapter 4 Death All Around

    Esdras was feeling very hungry and thirsty, he was bathed in his own sweat to a point where one would think that he just took a dip in the river.

    He looked around and it seems like a lot of time passed since he passed out. It was nightfall. He examined his body and noticed that he feltpletelyfortable in it.

    Unlike when he first awoke he felt like he was wearing clothes that didn''t fit him but that was all gone now. Not just that he may have actually grown a bit taller.

    The smell of the air was so refreshing, so captivating. He couldn''t get enough of it. That was weird, it was such a strange feeling¡ª

    Esdras suddenly dumbstruck, it was not the air which was refreshing, it was the mana!

    The mana itself was attracted to him and moved closer to him of its own ord. How would it feel if he absorbed it right now?

    It has to be known that mages can''t absorb external mana without being in meditation.

    It was so tempting. He felt like he didn''t even need to meditate, with just a thought he could absorb mana. Of course he couldn''t in truth, but even if he chose to meditate it was of no use to him right now.

    That was because the previous owner of the body did not construct a single elemental sigil, so if he did absorb mana in this state he would destroy his own mind.

    In any case he had to get a change of clothes and eat something before he died of hunger.

    Esdras picked a random shirt and trousers and walked out, the camp was much quieter than it was during daytime. There were only a few people going on and about.

    He looked for the food storage and luckily he saw a cook, a fat woman in her fifties closing it and was about to lock it up.

    "Hey, hey,dy wait up." He called to her as quickly as he could, she heard the call, took a look at him and proceeded to lock it up.

    "Sorry dinner time''s long over." She said with a sneer.

    "I know, I was badly injured and had to rest up, can I just get a loaf of bread and some chee¡ª"

    "I said!" she interrupted him and barked, "dinner time''s over! Try to get up in time for breakfast! Anything else to say?!"

    Esdras narrowed his eyes and didn''t say anything he just gave her onest look and left, heading back to his tent.

    She probably didn''t know that he was a mage apprentice and that''s why she thought it was fine to act like a bitch to him.

    But there was also another possibility, that she recognized who he was, precisely, and that''s why she acted that way.

    It was likely, since the spar he had with Robert was witnessed by many people.

    So she thought she could disrespect him because he was the runt of the litter?

    He remembered how she acted around other apprentices, like she was willing to lick the ground they walked on.

    Heh heh, so, this is the world. Actually it was no different than Earth, just rece magic with money. Esdras looked at the crescent moon and from this angle it truly felt no different than Earth.

    "Pss,"

    Esdras heard something so he looked around.

    "Pss, here, here."

    He looked and saw David hiding behind a carriage. He was crouched down and looking very suspicious, which was probably the opposite of what he wanted.

    "Here, take this. I saved it for you." David handed him a te covered by a small cloth. His yellow eyes looked around in fear like he was buying weed for the first time.

    Esdras gratefully epted, "thanks I thought I was going to fast tonight."

    "Yeah I noticed you didn''te out for so long. Are you feeling better now?"

    "Yeah, I think so. Actually I will probably be back to normal soon."

    "Good, honestly it looked like you were a goner. The seniors andmander refused to slow down the march. Don''t tell anyone that we''re friends!"

    David was Esdras''s only friend and Esdras understood what was going on, since he was the bullied kid, David didn''t want anyone to know lest he falls in his ce.

    "By the way, don''t I have a fat friend?" Esdras asked expectantly.

    "A fat friend?" David asked dumbfounded.

    "Yeah, like a fatedic guy, you know. Fatty Xiao, Fatty Zhou? No? Forget it."

    "What¡­ was that about? You really need to get your head checked."

    "It''s just a joke, forget about it." Esdrasughed as he thought of the webnovels he used to read.

    "I''m d you''re feeling better, I told you it''s not worth getting angry over your fianc¨¦."

    Esdras was actually a timid guy, he was suffering from an inferiorityplex and wouldn''t stand up for himself normally.

    But just before the march began he received a letter that his fianc¨¦ has broken the engagement and his uncle agreed in his stead.

    He was already riled up when Robert provoked him.

    "Actually, you should think more of how your going to survive the test in three months time." David reminded.

    In the Octarine tower of magic, all apprentices must go through a test of life and death in five years after joining and it had a casualty rate of 90%.

    Only those apprentices who are at level 4 could have the confidence to survive. As for level 3 apprentices? One or two might survive if they were lucky.

    There is no need to mention the lower levels.

    Esdras will be facing this test in three months along with his fellow apprentices.

    But of course they were also dispatched into an active war zone to participate in the war effort so he might not need to wait three months to get killed.

    Obviously, Esdras had no intention of dying any time soon. He had a divine shard and he was going to make full use of it.

 Chapter 5 Secret In The Sea Of Consciousness

    The original Esdras thought that he would be fine since Celine was going to take the test with him. She could protect him and then they would pass the test together.

    That test was called the Rite of Passage.

    However the current Esdras did not think in the same way as the old Esdras at all. No matter how good Celine was to him he could not leave his life in her hands.

    Or anybody''s hands for that matter.

    In the first ce not all level 4 apprentices were guaranteed to pass. It was true that they had the highest chance of survival but there were still casualties among them.

    That meant that Celine had to fend for herself too. Esdras was not willing to be a burden, even more than that he didn''t want to remain weak.

    Esdras walked back to his tent and called out to the system, there were three more pages in the system that got added after hepleted the assimtion.

    He was curious and wanted to know what the system has in store foe him. The first one was called world, he clicked on it.

    World: Arandos

    Grade: 2.5

    Hmm, it was the name of this new world, it was called Arandos and it looks like the system even assigned the world a level?

    That was odd.

    Well, maybe not as odd, after all the neswalkers as the name implies were beings that traveled to many different worlds. It was not usual for them to do something like this.

    He just wondered what their criteria for assigning the grades to worlds. And it was 2.5, why not just 2 or 3?

    Anyway he moved on to the next page, Traits:

    1)Divination

    2)Absolute unity

    3)Metamorphosis

    4)Complete Affinity

    5)Memory slots (3/3)

    Wow. It was not hard to figure out that he got these only afterpletely fusing with the divine shard in his possession.

    These traits were innate talents of his race, just by virtue of having the divine shard his level of existence was elevated by so much.

    After all, he may still look like a human but in truth his transformation to a being beyondprehension has already started. His race in the system read as human (world wyrm).

    However some if these traits were greyed out, this obviously meant that they were unavable for some reason. The unavoidable traits were Metamorphosis and Memory slots.

    Divination, use the power dwelling in the divine shard to peer into the future or the past of anything and anyone. The only exception being the host.

    Use of this trait requires Origin Points due to the iplete status of the divine spark.

    ''Holy mother of god,'' Esdras was practically drooling. He could not fathom just how godly this ability was if it really worked that way.

    But it consumes Origin Points. It looks like Origin points were much more valuable than he first thought.

    Esdrasmented for a bit but he was ultimately not regretful. He did not think that upgrading his talent was a waste of Origin points.

    He looked over to the other traits, next was Absolute unity:

    All powers and energies no matter how contradictory in nature will be in harmony within the host.

    Metamorphosis: ???

    Complete affinity: ???

    He saw only question marks, for Metamorphosis because it was grey but he didn''t expect the same thing for Complete affinity too.

    Complete affinity was not greyed out.

    Memory slots: The memories of times gone. The host is currently unable to withstand the weight of the memories.

    Esdras guessed that these memories must have belonged to the nswalker whose divine shard he inherited.

    Next was the skill page, this one was easy it was divided into passive and active skills. He had no active skills but he had one passive skill.

    Third eye Lv.1 : peer into the essence of all experienced phenomena.

    Hoh? He did not know that he had it, if he did he would have scanned the apprentices to know how their stats differed from his.

    But since he was done with that he decided to start his work and construct the first elemental sigil.

    The mages of this world, all used elemental magic, fire, water, wind, earth. Each element had a corresponding elemental sigil.

    Esdras had all the inherited memories so he easily meditated and entered his sea of consciousness.

    Esdras found himself in a transparent spirit-like form floating in nothingness above ake. Above his head there was a ball of spiritual energy the sized of a horse.

    The original Esdras''s spiritual energy was almost nonexistent. Even the sea of consciousness below him was only a third of thiske.

    However when Esdras took a closer look at the sea of consciousness he was taken back by two things.

    First the pollution left behind by the original Esdras, back when he foolishly tried to construct a sigil he made a mess all over the ce and made things harder for himself.

    What was an elemental sigil made of? It was made of spiritual energy. It was supposed to permeate into the sea of consciousness and then slowly and carefully build the sigil.

    But the original Esdras didn''t have enough spiritual energy to do that. However instead on focusing on growing his spiritual power until it was possible he opted to recklessly start the process.

    The original tried and failed multiple times and this damaged the sea of consciousness and left behind this pollution.

    However that was not a big deal, Esdras could clean it up in one or two days thanks to his vast spiritual energy.

    What really intrigued him was the second reason he was surprised when he looked at the sea of consciousness.

    There was an outline of a certain symbol at the center of the sea of consciousness, a very familiar symbol to Esdras.

    And how could it not be? After all it was The central symbol on his family''s ancestral stone b.

    And when he sessfully recreated it in his mind the divine shard fused with him and this whole thing started.

 Chapter 6 Are You Interested In Gold?

    Esdras investigated the symbol and discovered that it was only a shadowy outline. It was not truly made of spiritual energy.

    That outline, it was like a guide, telling him to follow it, what would happen if he constructed that symbol first?

    This was a very dangerous thought. The number of apprentices who lost their minds and became vegetables because they messed with the sea of consciousness was not low.

    The original Esdras was on this path too, but it was not just him, many others who were more talented than him fell victim to this issue.

    "Don''t think that you are better than thousands of years of history. There were smarter and better men than you in the past who paved the path of magic we have today. Just follow the instructions, don''t attempt anything half-assed."

    This was said by the sub tower master in the few times she deigned to talk to the apprentices.

    But Esdras trusted more in the divine shard than the words of the mages in this world, it was the same even to the words of a Great mage.

    But what annoyed him was the time constraints, he may need two days to clean his sea of consciousness but using spiritual energy to construct that symbol was going to take some time a week or maybe ten days.

    He was in a pinch.

    He wanted to start with making the elemental sigil first so he could have some power of self-protection. With the amount of spiritual energy he had now he could be done with that in three days.

    But Esdras had a hunch, that he wouldn''t be able to engrave the neswalker symbol if started with anything else.

    Basically he felt that it had to be done first.

    However Esdras''s life was currently in danger, not just being in a war zone but also because of Robert''s killing intent against him.

    If he was in Robert''s shoes and the person he schemed so much to kill actually survived, what would he have done? How would he react?

    He would react by trying to kill the slippery bastard again.

    He did not know why Robert wanted him dead but that didn''t matter now. His life was in real and present danger.

    A week to ten days was too much!

    But he also didn''t want to throw away this opportunity provided to him by the divine shard. Think Esdras! Think!

    A momentter he got a perfect solution to this problem. He had a martial talent too, so why not put it to use early?

    Esdrasmanded the spiritual energy sphere above his head to start cleaning the pollution.

    He saw dozens of green wisps extend out and into the sea of consciousness. He observed the process and smiled.

    It wouldn''t take two days, just one was enough.

    Back in the real world Esdras rummaged through his stuff and took out a booklet. This was his family''s Vigor breathing technique.

    In this world the mages were divided into four ranks, from lowest to highest they are, Apprentice mage, True mage, Great mage and Master mage.

    The warriors were divided into two ranks, Strength unleashed and Vigor knight.

    The warriors of this world could not hold a candle to the mages at all. The Vigor knights, were only equivalent to a level 4 apprentice mage.

    Even then, that was already good enough for Esdras right now, after all he was only buying time.

    Besides he did not think that the Vigor knights were to be underestimated. After all this world''s mages suffered from their ssic weakness, vitality.

    As long as an enemy made it close to the mage then he was no different than a normal person. At least that was the case for True mages, he didn''t know about the two greater ranks.

    Although the mages didn''t like to talk about it, there were many cases of mages getting ambushed and killed or assassinated by skilled but ordinary people. Poisoning was also a way to easily kill a mage.

    Esdras was from the viscount family Varthos in the kingdom of Zaarath. And his parents died in a tragic attack during the royal parade among a few other nobles.

    Since he was younger he could not inherit the noble title so his uncle was given the role of regent and took care of the matters in the estate.

    He also raised Esdras until he was eleven years of age when his talent in magic was discovered.

    In that time he trained in his family''s Vigor breathing technique but he didn''t show any improvement. After joining the mages tower he focused all of his attention on bing a mage.

    Esdras returned the booklet back to the bag, he didn''t train in it. The original Esdras was told that it was the family''s vigor breathing technique and he trusted his uncle blindly.

    However that was not the case for him, he read so many webnovels and watched too many movies and TV series. More than that he was a 23 year old when he died and could think critically.

    His uncle''s actions were very suspicious, it was not a far stretch to think that he may have tampered with the technique. He wasn''t sure but he was suspicious enough.

    Esdras didn''t need to take the risk, while they were far away from civilization they had Vigor knights traveling with them.

    He grabbed his coin pouch and walked out of the tent. It was the time of twilight, the darkest before dawn, the world was sleeping but he was awake.

    He looked around and made his way to a tent close to the center of the camp. Unexpectedly the owner of the tent was also awake.

    Calvin, one of the seven Vigor knights traveling with them to fort Kuzdin for reinforcements ording to the order from the higher-ups.

    "Hello there," Esdras greeted

    "¡­ hi, how can I help you?" Calivin who was practicing with a spear stopped and looked at him and asked curtly.

    "I''m Esdras, let me ask you, ser, are you interested in gold?"

 Chapter 7 I Am A Monster

    Calvin looked confused but he still answered, "sure, I''m interested in gold."

    "Great, how much for your Vigor breathing technique?"

    "I¡­ can sell it for ten golden coins," Calvin wanted to say something but he hesitated, "to tell you the truth, lord mage, it''s of no use to you. If you don''t have the talent for it then it''s just a strange way of breathing."

    Esdras knew that of course, but he was still appreciative of his honesty. Vigor breathing techniques were not a very big secret or anything like that, unless they belonged to some ancient master.

    Calvin was in histe twenties but he was already a Vigor knight, an impressive feat which is why despite being amoner he rose swiftly through the ranks.

    While some breathing techniques had some differences here and there the basic goal and intention of the techniques remained the same.

    That is, to allow the body to release the energy known as Vigor and wield it.

    "It''s fine, I will just give it a try." Esdras answered looking determined, he chose to show this expression as if he wasn''t willing to stay down after losing the spar.

    Calvin''s look towards him changed, "I see. Fine, take it and give me some coin if you actually get some benefit out of it."

    "What?" Esdras was actually dumbfounded, he didn''t think his acting was that good.

    Calvin patted him on the shoulder like he understood his feelings, "when you tread on a difficult path for the sake of honor and duty that is when the heart zes with Vigor."

    "Eh¡­ yes," Esdras didn''t know what this guy was talking about but since it seemed to his advantage so he went along with it.

    "Can I get some weapon? A spear or a bow maybe?" Esdras asked since he didn''t have any weapon on him.

    "Have you got any practice with either of these weapons?" Calvin asked frowning.

    "Eh, no. I mostly practiced with a short sword when I was very young¡­"

    "Then why ask for something that you are not used to? You should know that these weapons are harder to master than the sword."

    "Fine, give me a sword then." To be honest Esdras didn''t want to fight in close range at all. He just came from a rtively peaceful era and was reluctant to do something like this.

    But, he was a realist too, there was nothing that he could do but adapt to this world. There was no point in wishing for the problems to solve themselves.

    "Take it, you will need itter on." Calvin said after he handed him a short sword.

    Esdras had a bad feeling about these words, ter on? What for?"

    "¡­ don''t tell anyone yet but themander and the True mages have decided to send some of you ahead of the army to clear the route ahead."

    "Thanks, you helped me today, and I never forget my gratitude." Esdras said seriously, "I will repay you someday."

    "You don''t have to¡­ it''s not like I am short on anything. To be honest I was never envious of mages before I became a Vigor knight. Hehe, but ever since then it''s all I can think about."

    "Why? Because of their power?" Esdras asked.

    "Yes, and no. It''s just that the path of a mage is so wide and expansive but for us it''s already the end of the line."

    Finally Esdras understood what bothered Calvin, indeed someone like him would want to advance further but he had already reached the end.

    Esdras used his Third eye on Calvin.

    Name: Calvin Osty

    ss: Vigor knight Lv.1

    Physique: 3

    Agility: 2

    Intelligence: 1

    Spirituality: 1

    Vigor: 3

    Esdras was not able to see the talent values of Calvin probably because his Third eye was still level 1.

    However, something attracted his attention, his ss was level one, that wasn''t a sure answer but it was enough for Esdras to make a guess.

    "What if it''s not the end?" Esdras asked Calvin.

    "What? What are you talking about?"

    "Nothing, I''m just saying what if it was not the end? What if there is more?"

    Esdras left after saying that and Calvin came back to his senses and had confused expression.

    Esdras went into the woods and read the breathing technique, then he started practicing it. As soon as he got the breathing pattern right he felt a warm current in his body.

    Esdras was ted, he continued on and felt his muscles vibrating, the more he followed the breathing technique and the energy was bing thicker and bigger.

    Finally he started sweating and after a long time he stopped after feeling that the warm energy had be as thick as a finger.

    Esdras open his eyes and realized he spent two hours in practice without noticing.

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    Race: Human (world wyrm)

    sses: 1) Apprentice mage Lv.0 (0/30 EXP)

    2) Strength unleashed Lv.4 (0/60 EXP)

    Physique: 2

    Agility: 1

    Intelligence: 2

    Spirituality: 3

    Mana: 0

    Origin points: 2

    EXP: 0

    Mystical talent: 3 (0/8 OP)

    Martial talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    Strength unleashed leve 4! He was about to be a Vigor knight after two hours of practice?!

    His physique state increased by one but he could already tell that he was twice as powerful as he was two hours ago.

    Not just that the physique state encapsted strength, endurance and vitality. That was a huge improvement, after all, Calvin''s physique was at 3.

    Incredible, and this was only the effect of martial talent at level one? At this rate he could be a Vigor knight today or tomorrow at thetest.

    He looked at his hands and couldn''t help but break into augh!

    Esdras realized at this moment that he was no longer human, he was a monster in human flesh!

    "Esdras?¡­ is that you?"

    It was Robert and his goons who walked through the bushes and stumbled on him.

    Esdras clicked his tongue in annoyance, enemies were destined to cross one another.

 Chapter 8 A Small Task

    They must have heard himugh and that alerted them that someone was here.

    "What are youughing out loud for? And on your own too?" One of the goons around Robert sneered at him.

    "Maybe he lost his mind after Robert taught him a lesson." Sam, Robert''s right hand piece of shit, snickered like a hyena.

    The group then started to spread around the area in a half circle slowly. Esdras stayed silent but his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword.

    "Oooh~ what''s this? You''ve got a sword? The little brainless baby got himself a sword? Have you finally realized that you''re trash and given up on magic?" Sam kept the insults going.

    "Oh, this?" Esdras gestured to the sword timidly, not daring to look Sam in the eye as usual.

    Sam, noticed that Esdras was his usual self and nodded, "yes this, do you see another sword around? You were already retarded back then, I''m afraid that you''re just a vegetable now!"

    Almost everyone broke into ridiculingughter.

    "That was a good one!" Another one roared.

    "Shut up!" Robert who didn''t join the others inughing smacked Sam across the face. Sam fell on his butt looking shocked.

    "W-what''s wrong? I thoug¡ª" Sam tried to exin himself when he was smacked again.

    "I said shut up! Esdras is still recovering, this is not the time for joking around."

    Robert unexpectedly stood up for Esdras, and then red at the others making them shrink back. He walked up to Esdras.

    "I am sorry about them, you know how these guys can be¡­ insensitive sometimes. Also I overdid it in our spar and my hand slipped."

    Esdras had a fearful look on his face, "it-it''s fine," he stuttered, "I was angry and recklessly challenged you, it''s my fault. Let''s just forget about it."

    "Yeah, let''s put it behind us, here I got this salve for your injury. Can you let me take a look at it?" Robert, this whole time had his eyes fixated on his head.

    Esdras''s eyes narrowed for a moment, he took the salve, "it''s not something I want to show to other people, it''s too ugly."

    Saying that he tried to leave but was blocked by Robert. "No, I insist. Just a quick look to make sure you''re really fine."

    Robert was talking really politely but Esdras could sense that if he didn''tply Robert would use force. Esdras took a quick look around and noticed that the group had closed up on him.

    Esdras still held the hilt of the sword, his hand curled around the hilt, and drew the sword exploding the tension.

    He pointed behind Robert with the sword, "oh, have you guys seen that crow somewhere before? I feel like I''ve seen it¡­"

    Robert turned around and his face paled at the sight of the crow, "alright it''s almost time for breakfast, I''ll see you around, Esdras."

    The others didn''t understand but they still followed behind Robert sending venomous looks at him. Esdras didn''tg behind either.

    Esdras nced at the crow perched on the tree.

    Crow of silent winds: level 2 magical creature.

    Prying eyes Lv. 2, linked mind Lv.2, Wind cuter Lv.1

    That crow was senior Ron''s familiar, this meant that he was watching and no one wanted to catch the ire of a true mage.

    Esdras sneaked a look at all of their stats since he was walking behind them and few of them were level 3 and most of them were level 2.

    The only leve 4 was Robert, after all not many could reach this level.

    Name: Robert Castyia

    ss: apprentice mage Lv. 4

    Physique: 1

    Agility: 1

    Intelligence: 2

    Spirituality: 3

    Mana: 2

    Water conjuration Lv.1, water maniption Lv.1, Water bullet Lv.1, water ssh Lv.1, Mist cloud Lv.1

    So these were his stats, a level 4 apprentice was something else alright. However Robert was better than the regr level 4 who barely achieve that level.

    He already learned three cantrips, which can only be learned by level 4 apprentices.

    Level 3 apprentices only had the basic abilities of conjuration and maniption of their respective element, depending on which element''s sigil they chose.

    However Esdras thought about the previous encounter, why was Robert so insistent on seeing his head?

    He knew why. But it only urred to him toote, he should have thought of it yesterday.

    Esdras could pretend that the injury was not sever and trick everyone else but he couldn''t trick Robert.

    That is because it was Robert who struck him and he knew very well what type of injury he gave Esdras.

    Otherwise he wouldn''t be confident of Esdras''s death. This knowledge made Robert take a step back and think that something wasn''t right with Esdras.

    But at this point it was just a hunch, he is probably doubting himself right now. Thinking that the hit was not hard enough or that his head was thicker than normal.

    Esdras raced to the breakfast table of the mages and started stuffing himself, he didn''t eat anything but the little food that David saved for him.

    "Here take some food, you may need itter," Esdras handed David a sackcloth, inside it was some bread and jerky.

    "Might need it?¡­ what for?" David asked in confusion.

    "You will know soon." Esdras did the same for himself too.

    Ten minutester there was a p and all the apprentices stood up, put their palms on their hearts and bowed slightly.

    The three True mages and seven Vigor knights entered the tent. This tent was prepared for them because mages don''t eat withmoners.

    Lieutenant Donnis Mulder was one of the Vigor knights and he was themander of the reinforcements to fort Kuzdin.

    The ves cleaned up the tables and one of the soldiers ce da map on it.

    "At ease apprentices, I trust you''ve had a good meal?" Senior Ron asked, but continued talking without waiting for a reply, "You have a small task, head out first and clear out the monsters and beasts in the forest route up ahead."

 Chapter 9 No Escape

    "As everyone here knows while his Eminence the court mage and the Great mages hold the capital we have been tasked to reinforce fort Kuzdin which is responsible for sending rations along this route."

    Senior Ron continued, "but due to the constant attacks we received since we stepped foot in this unsightly forest our pace had slowed down considerably. So you will be sent ahead to clear the way for us. Any questions?"

    Esdras could see than many people had questions and even protests to this order but they all swallowed down their words. He himself was one of them.

    Being sent to clear the way was obviously a very dangerous task but it was also a good one to separate himself from the suspicious Robert. In that time he could im that his injury healed.

    "If I may?" Robert raised his head and Ron nodded, "I wonder how we should clear the monsters? The forest will y to their advantage, there is a small chance of us finding them if they decided to hide."

    "A reasonable doubt," Ron nodded, naturally this kind of treatment was only reserved for level 4 apprentices.

    "We have already sent our familiars to scout and managed to get a rough estimate to their hideouts and nests. As long as you look carefully it won''t be a problem. Anything else?"

    Seeing that no one had anything else to say he continued, "you will be divided into groups of four, also four soldiers will assist you. You must keep quelling the monsters for four days and then group up in the blue spot on the map and join us in the fort."

    Esdras didn''t like the sound of this, he had to find some way to weasel his way out of this.

    "Senior," Esdras raised his hand, "I am suffering from an injury, I will only slow the others down and might even cause an ident¡­"

    Senior Ron frowned, "you seem to have the ability to talk and walk about just fine."

    Esdras sat down, he knew not to argue, it was a long shot anyway. With his status his words meant very little a fact that he was slowlying to realize.

    "Senior!"

    Celine stood up, "please let Esdras rest for a while, he was injured badly." She pleaded.

    Senior Ron looked at her for a moment before nodding, "fine, but only for one day, by tomorrow morning you will join the others. Is that clear?"

    Esdras quickly nodded, "thank you senior." And then nced at the proud looking Celine, she helped him out in a pinch.

    Celine was not only a level 4 apprentice, she was extremely talented and there were rumors that several Great mages were ready to ept her as a disciple the moment she bes a True mage.

    "The red spots are numbered, this here is how you are divided. It''s not negotiable so don''t make yourselves look bad."

    Saying that senior Ron and the others turned to leave but before they could do that Esdras used his Third eye on Ron, he wanted to see exactly what made a True mage different.

    Name: Ron Ssk

    ss: True wind mage Lv.2

    Physique: 1

    Agility: 2

    Intelligence: 7

    Spirituality: 8

    Mana: 14

    Skills: ???

    His mana was too mach, his agility was unexpectedly higher than 1 and his intelligence and spirituality were also impressive.

    Unfortunately he couldn''t see any of his skills or spells, it was a shame. And he already knew that Ron was a wind mage.

    He needed to find a way to upgrade his Third eye skill.

    After they big shots left Esdras stayed behind to know which team he was on, if he was unlucky he might get put together with Robert.

    He breathed a sigh of relief, it looks like all the level 4s were divided to be something akin to team leaders. He was put with someone else a guy called Bran, the others two were level 3 apprentices.

    This wasn''t the best of situations that he could have ended up with so it was actually a good thing.

    Back in his tent Esdras thought of something important, today he leveled up four times by practicing the Vigor breathing technique but he didn''t get any stat points or skill points.

    How was he supposed to get them then?

    Hmm, but there was another possibility, what if only using EXP to level up granted him stats points and skill points?

    And he didn''t get any EXP for practicing, he also didn''t get any quests nor did the systemmunicate with him on its own.

    So, it was that type of system, huh.

    Probably, he could only get EXP by killing things. Soon he will find out if his guess was right or not.

    Within his sea of consciousness he resumed cleaning the pollution and split his attention to practice the Vigor breathing technique.

    For the whole day he didn''t bother going out, he wanted to breakthrough to be a Vigor knight and started constructing an elemental sigil by next day.

    He could feel the warm Vigor inside of him growing at an rming rate and his body bing much stronger.

    Byte at night he was forced to stop, he did not advance to be a Vigor knight despite training for so long.

    At least his sea of consciousness was now sparkling and the pollutions have been cleared.

    Esdras could be reckless and force himself to train for the rest of the night but he was too tired and exhausted. Splitting his focus on two different tasks was not without cost.

    However he was not a True mage he still had to sleep for four hours at least. If not, he could end up putting his life in danger on tomorrow''s hunt.

    The next day, the sun rose, he washed up and noticed that his tent was alone in the wilderness.

    ''Oh, right, they''re going ahead.''

    While they were holding the monsters back they would move on and cross the forest safely.

    Esdras picked up his sword and swung in the air. There was only three moves that any beginner could perform, stab, sh, thrust.

 Chapter 10 First Kill And Great Plan

    Esdras collected his tent and took out his copy of the map. They were handed to them after the briefing yesterday so they won''t get lost.

    Naturally they didn''t leave behind a horse because they were not suitable for the forest terrain, these areas were thick with growth and vines.

    He picked up the pace, it he waste they could use that to make him look bad to the True mages, it was something he wanted to avoid for now.

    Following this map would have been difficult if he didn''t get the memories of the previous owner. It was nothing like google maps¡­

    Esdras traversed the forest and for a while he was genuinely lost, he was in the right area but he didn''t know where the team set up camp.

    His ears picked up a noise so he followed it and encountered a Kobold, it stood at 1.5 meters tall and looked like a bipedal dog but with scales instead of fur or hair.

    The monster was sniffing the air, it had its back to him.

    Esdras froze in his steps and his heart raced, he swallowed down and didn''t know what to do. No, he knew but he didn''t moved.

    He thought that he was ready, that he was prepared but all of that flew out of the window the moment he saw the creature for real.

    He hesitated for too long and the kobold turned around, saw him an roared as it charged at him wildly using a crude javelin.

    The sight woke Esdras from his trance and he drew the sword at his waist swiftly, the javelin was aimed at his head so he evaded to the side.

    The kobold missed his target and stumbled, Esdras was not going to waste another chance so he shed with all his power hoping to kill it in one strike.

    But the kobold proved that it had good reflexes and dodged the fatal blow but it''s left arm was cut off and it started bleeding badly.

    Esdras braced for the counter attack but he was stunned when he saw the kobold making a run for it. That''s right he forgot that kobolds were cowardly.

    At the first sign of losing they would make a run for it. But if they faced a weaker opponent then they would give chase till the end of the earth.

    Esdras thought it was like a game mob that wouldmit suicide by yer. But they has their own habits.

    Esdras thought fast and picked up a pebble, with a whoosh he threw it at the fleeing kobold. He was unlikely to catch up to it otherwise.

    The pebble hit the kobold in the head, it fell down and was dizzy when it tried to get back up a sword pierced it''s neck from behind.

    [+3 EXP]

    Esdras finally got the notification he was looking for but the amount was so pitiful he groaned. He needed to kill ten more for one level.

    Also there was no loot, the mages of this world did not need any part of low level monsters and there were no alchemist in this world either.

    Weirdly enough he heard someughter at that point. He followed the noise, this time much more carefully, and found the camp.

    So this what the kobold was originally doing.

    Here he found the teammates he was supposed to join.

    "Well, look who decided to join us, what a surprise!" Tara''s sharp scratchy voice dered before Esdras could say anything.

    ''Shit''

    Tara was a level 3 apprentice mage and she was sort of like Robert''s girlfriend. For that reason she acted like the queen of all bitches and bossed everyone around.

    At that time he focused on Robert but he neglected this bitch who liked to make his life miserable for her own entertainment.

    "It''s good that you''re here," Bran the leader pf this team and a level 4 apprentice mage said, e on, we have to kill the kobolds in this area, we have a n."

    "The bastards raided our campst night and I couldn''t sleep a wink because of them." Tarained as they went through the forest, "I can''t live like this, Bran you have to get rid of them for me."

    Saying that Tara clung to Bran''s hand seductively and pressed her body against him. Although she was only sixteen years old she possessed the body a twenty year old.

    Feeling her assets on his body Bean started breathing hard and gulped down.

    "Haha! What did I say before? We will get rid of them all today, we will be the first team to do that! If I knew they bothered you so much I would have done so yesterday."

    Esdras rolled his eyes at this shameless exchange and cringed, he felt like he was back in high school. But he was also curious what the n was.

    He followed behind until they came up a¡­ cave? It was a very strange looking cave that was literally jutting out of the ground in the middle of a forest.

    "What is this ce?" He asked Bran.

    "It''s a cave, idiot. Can''t you see? I found it by ident yesterday."

    "Is this the kobolds nest?" Esdras asked agin ignoring the insults.

    "No, this is where we''ll kill them all, I know where their nest is, we will lead them here and copse this opening in one fell swoop."

    "Oh, that''s brilliant!" Eximed Tara.

    "But, how will we do that?" The third mage apprentice asked, he didn''t know his name.

    "Easy, do you even have to think about it?" Tara sneered, "these guys will attack the nest attracting as many of them as they could then flee, seeing this the stupid kobolds will give chase."

    "You mean me too," Esdras pointed at himself. Just know she included him with the two soldiers tasked with baiting the kobolds to the cave.

    "Yes, you," Bran looked at him as if daring him to protest, "Tara, Theo and I have to use our powers to copse the cave at the right time. Can you help us with that? You''re not even at level 3 so shut up and do as you''re told."

 Chapter 11 Collapse

    Esdras wanted to refuse outright, he was basically being treated as fodder. But he couldn''t dispute the fact that he couldn''t help in copsing the cave.

    "¡­ fine but tell me in detail how the n will work."

    Bran scratched his head, "your constant questions are annoying as fuck. It''s simple you attack, kill a kobold or two and then run over here get into the cave then turn around and get out, at that point we will do the hard work and copse the cave."

    Esdras was usually a calm person and since arriving in this world he endured a barrage of insults from these kids but that didn''t mean that he was a saint.

    But for now he had to eat it up, he wasn''t strong enough. What if heshed out and got crippled by Bran?

    Bran was the leader and disobeying his orders is a sure way to get punished. If something happened who was more likely to get in trouble?

    Bran the level 4 apprentice mage or Esdras the trash who couldn''t achieve anything in five years?

    It was not a hard question. So until he was sure he could stand up for himself he was going to keep his head low even if he felt like shit.

    Esdras and the two soldiers were heading to the kobolds nest, but there was not much talking. He noticed that the soldiers had deadpan expressions.

    "You know, back then the forest was such a peaceful ce, we used to eat and drink to our fill¡­"

    One of the soldiers mumbled, Esdras was interested so he asked, "what do you mean, there was a vige here?"

    "I know it''s hard to believe but not even twenty years ago this forest''s trees were much smaller and it was rare to encounter even a single goblin. There were two other viges in the are too."

    "How is that possible? What happened to change all of that?" Esdras asked curiously.

    "I don''t know, nobody does. Just one day the trees started growing and the animals became ferocious beasts and them monsters appeared in endless numbers. We had to evacuate."

    Esdras saw the giant trees but he just assumed it was a fantasy forest¡­

    They arrived at their objective, therge trees have been carved into make-shift rooms within the trees.

    Dozens and dozens of kobolds were moving about, some were eating and others were fighting with each other. Others were dancing around a bonfire.

    "Ready?" Esdras asked the two soldiers, they were hidden behind bushes. "Go!"

    The three of them sprang into action and sprinted to the bonfire at once, the kobolds they passed by were confused as three humans suddenly appeared.

    Esdras didn''t was the element of surprise and pushed one of the dancing kobolds into the bonfire roughly.

    "Kaaaaaa!"

    The half burnt wood and fire scattered everywhere, the scream was loud enough to alert all the kobolds on the nest.

    [+3 EXP]

    In that moment of silence, Esdras and the two soldiers swiftly retreated and ran away. A loud cry came after them the ground vibrated with the intense kobolds who were running after them.

    Esdras bit his lips and ran with all his might. He actually did it, it was like a scene from a movie and it felt really good too.

    After ten minutes of running he could feel the kobolds quickly catching up to them, if not for the head-start they would have been caught a long time ago.

    ''''Faster, faster!"

    Esdras knew his stamina was enough for him to run at full speed for longer but it was not the same for the two soldiers, they were already falling behind.

    Who knows what the kobolds will do then? Will they keep chasing or pour their rage on the fallen soldiers? If that happened then the n will fail.

    However, salvation was at hand, he could finally see the opening of the strange cave. Bran and Tara were out of sight obviously so that the kobolds wouldn''t suspect a thing.

    Esdras and the two soldiers ran straight into the cave and in the kobolds came after them mindlessly. They used the darkness of the cave and snuck behind the frantic kobolds.

    "Kag! Huta!"

    The kobolds noticed them but it was already toote, they started running towards the opening of the cave, as soon as they walked out then it will copse on the kobolds heads.

    However!

    Esdras was still a distance away from the cave opening when he heard a loud crash and saw the entrance copsing. Rocks the size of watermelons and bigger started falling down.

    "Hey! Stop we''re still in here!"

    One of the soldiers desperately called out, and Esdras shook his head as if they didn''t know that.

    Esdras couldn''t get close to the entrance with all the rocks falling down so he judge that to get away from the copsing entrance he had to go into the the cave.

    "Guyse with me this way!" He called to the soldiers.

    "Are you insane! I don''t want to die!"

    Honestly Esdras knew it was idiotic but he had no other choice. So he ran in he could only talk but not force them to follow him.

    The two soldiers and the majority of the kobolds who were in panic at the falling rocks charged to the entrance and were subsequently crushed to death.

    Esdras ran deeper and deeper, he was surprised because the cave didn''t look this big but he stopped thinking about that when a rock fell on his head. And another one on his back.

    Esdras picked himself up vowing to return this pain to them a thousand fold! If not for his enhanced physique he might have died there and then.

    The cave was still copsing but he still heard distinctive steps behind him. Looks like not all of the kobolds died and for some fucked up reason they were stilling after him.

    Esdras couldn''t fight a dozen angry kobolds in the dark, he could only run further in. Suddenly his foot slipped, the solid ground turned into an extremely slippery mud and he slipped.

    Without being being able to control himself he saw the mud leading him into a vortex of purple light and went through it.

    [Ding! You have discovered the Rust Fang dungeon! You can''t exit unless you clear the first floor!]

 Chapter 12 Pioneer

    Esdras closed his eyes and braced for the impact, however he justnded with a soft thud unexpectedly.

    He was prone on his back so as soon as he recovered from the shock he shot back up in rm.

    He looked around and found himself in a cavern, the walls of the earth were carved into rooms like the kobolds did to the trees only these were prison cells.

    Some of the walls had had torches on hangers so it wasn''t exactly dark but dim. Some of the cells had their iron bars broken and others were still closed.

    ''So¡­ this is a dungeon?''

    But this came as a surprise to Esdras since this world did not have dungeons at all. No, this was not due to ack of information by the original Esdras.

    If dungeons were a thing then everyone would have at least some knowledge of them right? The natives of this world did not even know what a dungeon is.

    [Ding! You are the first person to discover a dungeon in Arandos! You have acquired the title of Pioneer.]

    [Ding! You performed a great feat, the mes are zing! You have been granted the Halo of Evasion, it will protect you from three fatal strikes.]

    [+2 Origin points!]

    [Pioneer: 1) all the EXP earned in dungeons is doubled.

    2) The item drop rate increased by 30%

    3) you are less likely to get lost in dungeons

    4) Basic information acquisition when you enter a dungeon.

    Esdras was dumbfounded, he actually discovered the first dungeon in all of Arandos? That was unbelievable¡­ and he even got two Origin points, just like that?!

    No, wait wait a moment it really was unbelievable. How is that possible?

    The only usible exnation he could think of was that only he the bearer of a divine shard could ess dungeons and so it was inevitable that he would be the first.

    But it was a flimsy exnation, considering that he was awarded that title for being first. That implies that he could have been second or the hundredth person to discover a dungeon.

    Perhaps this is the appearance of the first dungeon in Arandos?

    Wow, this was admittedly a lucky encounter.

    Now that he thought about it there was another first happening in Arandos right now.

    It was the invasion of the Belkazak army, it was the first time that the orcs of the Jagged fangs mountains united under Belkazak.

    As if that was not enough, the orc crowned himself king and marched against the great kingdom of Elbrim. The attack devastated the west of Elbrim, and a Duke was among the victims.

    It was unprecedented, no one expected the orcs to unite and evenunch a coordinated attack.

    The orcs did not stop, Belkazak dered that he would eat the heart of the king of Elbrim by the end of the war and marched to the capital.

    This is when his Eminence, the court mage of Elbrim and a Master mage called the Octarine magic tower to action.

    This is why Esdras and everyone was joining the war effort. Naturally they were minor yers in the grand scheme of things.

    Actually when Esdras first came to this world he thought that it was a low level fantasy style world.

    Everyone is talking about how Belkazak has seven trolls in his army. Basically trolls were considered a very powerful monster in this world. Encountering one was a very unlucky event.

    This was one of the reasons he thought this world was just some low level world and in fact it still was but he was beginning to get an ominous feeling¡­

    Before he could think more he heard a low growling noise approaching.

    Esdras looked around and picked up his fallen sword, very quickly and silently he moved and pressed his back against the wall right by the corner.

    Whatever monster it was, it had to pass by here to go to this part of the prison. Yes, he was camping, he was that guy in call of duty.

    He held his breath and watched as the light approached, he heard weird sounding footsteps hitting against the dry ground beneath.

    The monster passed by the corner unaware and in that moment Esdras aimed at the neck and shed with all his might behind the blow.

    The monster was quick to act it used the pole of the bone spear to lock the sword in thest moment but the impact still sent it crashing against the opposing wall.

    "Skeee!"

    Esdras didn''t let up, he closed in and stabbed through the scales of the monster, but it was a monster after all it extended its neck and tried to bite him.

    He dodged the extended neck in time and maneuvered behind the monster, with a kick to the back of it''s knee it lost bnce and fell down.

    Esdras finished it off by beheading it.

    [+ 16 EXP]

    Esdras sat on the floor panting, he was not tired out by physical exhaustion but by how close that was. That biting attack was horrible and unexpected it almost got him.

    Finally he had time to get a closer look at the monster.

    [Troglodyte Lv. 2]

    It had a dull grey scaly hide, the frame resembled a cave lizard it had a tail but it was cut off.

    A level two monster, that was dangerous. It had at least one skill, it was good that he didn''t give it the chance to use it.

    Esdras waited for the corps of the Troglodyte to dissipate and drop items but nothing of the sort happened. He frowned, with his sword he cut open the Troglodyte''s chest.

    There he found a finger sized sk filled with a red liquid.

    [Low Health potion: heals minor injuries]

    Esdras gained basic knowledge about the dungeon thanks to his title and knew a few things. Like the fact that the dungeon was made up of three floors.

    It was a strange thing, he simply found the information in his head and was a little doubtful before he cut open the Troglodyte which was extremely disgusting.

 Chapter 13 Only Losers Fight Fair

    To be honest it was also creepy, finding strange knowledge in your head out of the blue. But hey, he transmigrated to a different world, what else couldn''t happen?

    More importantly he had to assess his current situation. He pulled on the corpse of the dead Troglodyte and dumped it in one of the empty cells.

    He was afraid that blood would alert other monsters here, in any case moving it wouldn''t stop the smell but it will give him some time to get to somewhere else.

    Since this was pretty much the entrance he could only go deeper. He grabbed one of the torches on the wall and slowly advanced. The cells he passed by were all empty.

    Some of them had their bars broken from the inside as if whatever was imprisoned there broke out with brute force.

    But others were in semi-good condition while the cell looked like it was opened normally with a key. Esdras was paying attention so he wouldn''t be surprised by the ssic jump-scare.

    Unfortunately he realized when you permanently were in that situation was different from watch actors in a movie set. The tense atmosphere and the heat started affecting him, making him frustrated.

    Esdras decided to stop, he entered one of the decent cells and locked the door by inserting one of the fallen iron bars through the lock. This was a good idea as he could think in rtive safety.

    First of all, he had to clear the first floor of the dungeon to get out, and he need to get out sooner rather thanter.

    He opened his supplies bag by his waist, he had a full waterskin, a slice of hard bread and dried jerky.

    Now if he just needed to survive then the food was not a problem as he could go without it for fifty days or so. Some might think that his only concern was the water, but that was not the case.

    It was both food and water, his task was to clear the dungeon not to survive till a certain time frame, which means he needed energy to fight.

    So, in conclusion unless he found a water source in here, he had to clear this floor in two days or three at most.

    Right now he had 22 EXP and he needed 60 EXP to advance to be a Vigor knight. If one Troglodyte gave him 16 EXP then he needed to kill three more at least.

    He could collect 30 EXP and advance to level 2 as an apprentice mage but that would just be a waste of EXP.

    This is because level 2 apprentices could only suppress others with pure spiritual energy, and no otherbat abilities.

    Level 3 apprentices could conjure and manipte elements like water, fire and so on, depending on the sigil which was definitely a powerful upgrade.

    But¡­ he needed to practice all that and he simply did not have the time or energy in this dungeon.

    Esdras made up his mind and decided to get moving. He followed the obvious path and did not venture to any of the prison sections.

    While evading fallen deberes and all sorts of things he found a stone staircase leading downwards and he took a few steps downstairs and froze in ce.

    Right under the bend of the staircase he saw a glistening reflection of torchlight. He couldn''t make out the shapepletely but he knew what it was.

    A Troglodyte.

    Seeing the monster keeping watch like this made him think that these Troglodytes were acting as if they were prison wardens or something.

    After being still for a moment he was sure the Troglodyte didn''t notice him. He thought for a moment and slowly, very slowly he retreated.

    He went back to the end of the upper section where he disposed of that Troglodyte corpse and dragged it out all the way to the staircase, then he threw it off.

    *Crash!*

    The Troglodyte, who was surprised by the noise immediately moved to Investigate. Only to find the mutted corpse of one of it''s kind broken horribly.

    Esdras jumped brandishing his sword in both hands and plunged the sword through the exposed back of the monster stering it to the ground with the impact of his jump.

    [+ 16 EXP]

    Esdras felt his legs quiver slightly, he overestimated his physical ability slightly but it was worth it to take down one of these monsters.

    Fighting fair and square? Kekek, why the fuck would he do that? That''s for losers.

    As long as there was a chance to do it safely then that''s the way, he didn''t care about being called a coward or anything like that.

    He didn''t forget to cut open the chest of the newly deceased Troglodyte but he didn''t find anything there. Maybe next time. One down two more to go.

    Speaking of which, he heard a rapidly approaching footsteps so he retreated into the shadows and crouched down.

    ''Damn it, maybe I should be an assassin instead of a mage.'' Esdras joked to himself. There was no one to talk to so the joke was wasted.

    In this lower section of the prison there were two hallways in two different directions, and the ones approaching wereing from the left.

    A Troglodyte wielding a bone spear appeared, it was probably attracted by the smell of blood and the noise from his plunge attack.

    It sniffed the bodies and looked around vigntly, Esdras picked up a pebble from the nearby rubble and while he was hidden under the shadow of the staircase he threw it to the opposite direction.

    But.

    The monster didn''t fall for it and instead looked right back at him. Well, not every n worked as well intended.

    The monster leaked out a beastly roar and lunged at him, Esdras shot back to he feet and blocked with the sword.

    He was about to push it off but he didn''t notice the long tail sweeping under him and he fell on his back.

    The Troglodyte stabbed downwards to end his life.

 Chapter 14 Struggling For His Life

    Esdras thoughts raced, he rolled out of the way of the spear and while still on the ground he kicked it in the knee.

    While it lost bnce kicked the second knee and climbed over it. He was about to stab it to death when he realized that he lost his sword when he rolled out the way.

    The Troglodyte started struggling and attempted to throw him off, in response he punched it in that reptilian  face.

    Once, twice, thrice and then a whole barrage of punches, blood sttered on him and his own hands hurt.

    "Ugh!"

    Esdras felt two wed hands dig into his back, he had not felt such pain before but he was overflowing with adrenaline. In anger he got off of the Troglodyte.

    The Troglodyte attempted to regain footing but it was surprised when a boot descended on it''s head, it flopped back down and another stomp resulted in a egg-cracking like noise.

    [+ 16 EXP]

    One more to go. Esdras cut it open with his sword and found a low health potion, it was a nice catch, he looked at in delight.

    Abruptly, he felt a chill up his spine.

    Esdras moved instinctively, perhaps it was more appropriate to say that his own body moved on it''s own when a heavy strikended on his back. It was so brutal he heard his bones breaking.

    A Troglodyte had sneaked up on him.

    Esdras didn''t have the time toprehend the pain, he rolled out of the way of the second attack.

    It was a Troglodyte who had a huge bone club, since he dodged the second attack itnded on the corpse of the Troglodyte he just killed.

    Esdras used the time to open the cork of the health potion that was still in his hand and chugged it all in one go.

    There was no taste to speak of, it was like drinking water. He could feel his bones realigning and healing at a ridiculous speed.

    But that was not his focus, he looked at the three Troglodytes and cursed himself for his carelessness.

    While he was celebrating his triumph he let his guard down and was surrounded before he knew it. The three of them closed the three escape routes, the two hallways and the staircase.

    He had to fight.

    He calmed himself down and stared down the Troglodytes, then he rushed at the club wielder and shed, it was blocked with the huge club.

    Esdras jumped in the air dodging the tail swipe, he had already seen this move before.

    The Troglodyte was taken back as it moved it''s legs backwards having expected to trip Esdras down. Esdras was aware of the two Troglodytes closing in on him.

    He had to get rid of this one or get ganged up on by all three of them. In midair he reached out with his sword around the club since the monster lost bnce and stabbed it in the eye.

    "Shreeek!"

    Esdrasnded and with a single motion he cut off the hand holding the club, once again he evaded the tail, by going to the opposite side.

    At the same time this allowed him to dodge the ining machete. The two Troglodytes joined in the fight finally.

    But Esdras didn''t respond to any of their attacks he just focused on the almost dead Troglodyte.

    Esdras stabbed it from the side and ducked down, the sh from behind, aimed at him, had struck the Troglodyte instead.

    Taking this chance he sidestepped once again and beheaded it atst.

    ? [+16 EXP]

    The two Troglodytes were not happy with him to say the least, they charged at him from both sides forming a pincer attack. Esdras threw dirt in the eyes of the machete wielder and dodged.

    It started crying and wildly swinging the machete around, the sword wielder stopped his attack in thest minute before killing his friend, but it was not the same for the other one.

    In pain and confusion it struck its own kind again and Esdras stabbed it from behind, killing it in one blow.

    He couldn''t help but thank this particrly Troglodyte in his heart, it helped him twice.

    [+16 EXP]

    However, behind the dead Troglodyte, thest one standing released a brown shining light in its ws.

    ''Shit, it''s the skill [Beastial w] I have to¡ª''

    Unexpectedly the sword stabbed in the dead Troglodyte got stuck in a bad time and Esdras couldn''t move in time so he was stuck by the w in the chest.

    Esdras crashed into the wall and fell back, dead. Seeing this the Troglodyte started snickering and roaring, it was extremely confident in this attack.

    No human can survive it. The only draw back was that it took a little bit of time to use. Now that it was victorious it walked closer to the human corpse.

    The human''s head will serve as a suitable trophy for it. And the flesh, salivating¡­

    However when it was about to cut the head off, something strange happened, it felt a hand grabbing it''s legs. And with a yank it mmed into the ground, headfirst.

    Esdras chocked it from behind and twisted.

    [+16 EXP]

    Esdras didn''t think about anything right now, he was bleeding from a hole in his chest, he opened thest heath potion and chugged it.

    Then while his wounds were still healing he grabbed his sword and started looting the dead Troglodytes, he found two more health potions.

    Esdras climbed the staircase up and got back in that cell, he used the iron bar to lock it once again and slumped down in exhaustion.

    He did more than enough and got his hands on the EXP he needed to advance, he was beaten pretty badly in thest fight but he did good enough since he was still alive.

    EXP: 102

    He focused his mind on the Unleashed strength level and consumed 60 EXP in one shot. His body started burning and he heard his bones cracking, his muscles contracted and vibrated.

    In the end he could feel his heart beating and a massive change went through him.

 Chapter 15 Leveling Up And Mages Talents

    Esdras closed his eyes and experienced the changes going throughout his body for a while.

    He felt the ''vigor'' that appeared in his body, he could feel that it was concentrated in the center of his chest. It was a strange feeling.

    Esdras had read and heard about Vigor knights many times. In fact Vigor knights could be considered a new concept in Arandos.

    While mages existed since the end of the age of myth and the fall of the elves more than four thousand years ago.

    Vigor knights only started developing three hundred years ago, while to mortals that was a long time ago, it was not so for Great mages and especially so for Master mages.

    There were many stories of how it first came yo be. But the one that was most famous in Zaraath where Esdras was born was a story of an old man.

    The old man was a veteran who served in many battlefields and risked his life in wars his whole life, the old man wished for peace, but when it came to be, he was devastated.

    He knew no craft or trade, he didn''t know how to socialize nor did he like luxury. So he felt left behind. But he knew one thing, he knew how to swing a sword.

    And so he simply dedicated himself to training day and night in the mountains, he was already a renowned warrior said to be able to kill three orcs single-handedly.

    Years passed but the old man never tired for he had a goal, he wanted to be as strong as a possible before his time came.

    One day he shattered the boulder he was swinging at, his body released an unparalleled power which he called Vigor.

    It was the fruit of endless practice. For a long time after that, only old men who pushed themselves to the limit for four or more decades could achieve it.

    Buttely, more and more people started reaching this level at a rtively younger age for unknown reasons.

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    Race: Human (world wyrm)

    Title: Pioneer

    sses: 1) Apprentice mage Lv.1 (0/30 EXP)

    2) Vigor knight Lv.1 (0/100 EXP)

    Physique: 3

    Agility: 2

    Intelligence: 2

    Spirituality: 3

    Mana: 0

    Vigor: 3

    Origin points: 5

    EXP: 42

    Mystical talent: 3 (0/8 OP)

    Martial talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    Stat points: 3

    Skill point: 1

    So his guess was right, only by leveling up using EXP could he get stat points and skill points.

    Esdras wanted to test out these skill points because he wanted to know how levels worked and what kind of build he wanted to go for.

    An important factor is the fact that his Physique and Agility both increased by one when he became a Vigor knight.

    So he tested the waters by increasing Physique by one. Immediately he felt his strength increasing exponentially.

    Physique was an incredibly important stat because it rted to almost all of his physical condition, including stamina, strength and endurance.

    Then he increased both Intelligence and Vigor by one consuming all of his stat points at once. It seems like he only needed one stat point to increase any stat by one.

    Esdras felt that it was too overpowered, but then again gaining EXP was hard enough in this world.

    It was only because he was in a dungeon and benefited from the effects of the Pioneer title that he saw an improvement.

    As for the skill points, he only had one skill, Third eye and he decided to save it forter.

    Esdras stood up and realized his body grew taller and muscr, he was already strong before but after using his stat points now it was on another level.

    A Troglodyte was already a powerful monster that needed two experienced soldiers to deal with one.

    But as of now Esdras didn''t feel that they posed much of a threat to him individually but if there were ten or more he would be in trouble.

    However he also noticed something strange, he was good at fighting. No, it was not apliment. He was too good considering that he never did anything like this before.

    After being in deep thought he figured it out, his martial talent. Martial talent didn''t just include a natural gift towards breaking bodily limits or gathering energy, it also meant that he was a natural fighter.

    The more he fought the more he unearthed that potential.

    Esdras sat back down, he was overtaken by the feeling of advancing so he decided to start engraving his elemental sigil.

    Now, for mages of this world having affinity for more than one element was not special, in fact it was expected.

    But just because one had the affinity didn''t mean that one could be a multi-elemental mage. Well, it was possible but not rmended, the beat choice was to choose the one you were more suited to.

    The additional element didn''t just mean double the effort and time but maybe triple that or more. The majority of people just wouldn''t be able to do it and instead would remain as apprentices forever.

    Just because you can doesn''t mean you should.

    The mages of this world divided talents from 1-9, it was abination of elemental and mana affinity done through a simple test.

    A score of 1 to 2, meant that there was talent but barely, it was not rmended to even attempt bing a mage with this level.

    The previous Esdras had been tested and scored 1. Yet his uncle still sent him off.

    A score of 3, basically you could be a level 4 apprentice mage but was unlikely to breakthrough, there was a a 50% chance to be a mage in an entire life time.

    A score of 4 meant that there would be no problem for the person to be a mage in five to seven years.

    A score of 5 meant that one had the talent to make a name for themselves and excel, bing a mage was a given in a few short years.

    A score of 6 meant that there was a decent chance to be a Great mage given enough time.

 Chapter 16 You Guys Are Trapped In Here With Me

    Decent chance. This was a vague descriptionpared to the other talents scores up till now, but that was the extent of the information avable to Esdras.

    As for grade 7 talent? He knew even less, it was just spection that Master mages were talents of this level.

    When someone once asked the sub tower master, a Great mage in her own right what she thought about this issue she answered that ''bing a Master mage depended on a chance''.

    She refused to borate further.

    What about grades 8 and 9? They were just theoretical in nature mostly based on some legends regarding the end of the age of myth.

    There were many heroes who deeds were passed down, their feats were exaggerated and oundish so some room was left to amodate something outside of reality.

    Most mages don''t even believe 80% of the stories from that time.

    So only those who score a grade 6 talent had the right to be dual elemental mages. And even then doing so would most likely deprive them of advancing to Great mage level.

    It was a choice that no rational human would make, the Great mage level was not known just for the raw power it signified but also longitivtiy.

    A Great mage would have his life span extended by 50 to 70 years! It was the dream of most mages in history.

    Esdras didn''t know what how his Mystical talent would measure by this world''s standers but as far as he knew not even a grade 6 talent mentioned anything about mana taking the initiative to approach on its own.

    So he was very confident in himself, even more so, as he could always increase his talent with Origin points or use EXP to just forcefully breakthrough.

    Moreover he still nned to find the second divine shard that is hidden somewhere on this world. To do that he obviously needed to be powerful enough.

    So, with that said he was going to engrave all elemental sigils.

    ? Following his will, the sphere of spiritual energy above his spirit body went to work. Within the purified sea of consciousness a shape began to form.

    He decided to start with the nes walker symbol and after forming the core of the symbol he shifted his attention to the Fire elemental sigil, his intelligence stat allowed him greater control and focus over his spiritual energy.

    This meant that he could do both at the same time and since he already formed the core of the neswalker symbol it wouldn''t disappear.

    The night passed while Esdras was engrossed in the process, atst when he decided to stop he was already done with a tenth of the sigil.

    However.

    Just as he was about to end his medication and return, something unexpected happened.

    The symbol of the neswalker in the center of the sea of consciousness released a tendril of blue light that connected with the sigil and a shadowy outline appeared around it.

    This shape¡­

    He recognized it as the Fire elemental sigil, but it was not the same as the one taught by the magic tower. Most of it was modified, the shape was much moreplicated and deeper.

    Esdras chuckled, so this is what it was, it was showing him something better, something greater than what the mages of this level would ever know.

    But that sigil which would have taken a week toplete would now take ten days¡­

    Fine so be it. That was still much better than most geniuses in history so he didn''t have aint. There was still three months before the exam.

    It was better not to rush, this was an extremely important foundation for future progress. If he messed up here and ruined his potential who would hein to?

    Esdras opened the door of his cell after getting a moderate gulp of water and some jerky.

    He hoped to clear the first floor today. He was in a hurry because the water was running out.

    But there was also another reason. He got the Pioneer title by discovering the dungeon which was an overpowered title.

    So, what would he get if he were the first person in all of Arandos to not only find the first dungeon but also the first to clear it?

    Just thinking about it made his heart jump out of anticipation, a part of him was also anxious because someone else might beat him to it.

    It might not be this particr dungeon but since this was the first there was no doubt a second and a third scattered all over the world.

    He must not let this chance slip from his grasp!

    But first he had to get out of here thene back with ample supplies and through preparation. And he had to keep this dungeon a secret from the others no matter what.

    Esdras descended the stone staircase and found the corpses of six Troglodytes scattered about and dried blood on the floor.

    Hmm, he half expected them to respawn. But maybe this dungeon wasn''t exactly game-like it had some realistic touches here and there. Like the awful smell.

    Esdras looked at the two hallways and knew the right way to the boss of this floor was to the right, the left was probably a trap that will lead him to the Troglodytes nest.

    This was due to his Pioneer title.

    But he still walked to the left, beyond the hallway there was a big room stacked with wood and crude iron to make huts. The Troglodytes were surprised to see him.

    In the midst of their surprise he rushed in, with a speed that the Troglodytes couldn''t react to and beheaded the closest one to him with ease.

    He barely felt any resistance in the sword, with this newly acquired power and speed it was no wonder the monster was unable to react.

    *ng!*

    Behind him the door was closed by a bunch of iron cages that were stacked together beside the door. It looks like it was supposed to be a trap? Or maybe to close the only exit?

    Heheheh, it seems like these monsters haven''t realized it yet, they were trapped here with him.

    Not the other way around.

 Chapter 17 Progress

    Esdras dodged the arrow aimed at his head and kicked off the charging Troglodyte to his left, with a quick slice it''s head was removed.

    Then he jumped in the air, evading the two spears aimed at him from both sides. In the that time he looked around and estimated that the number of Troglodytes here was 28.

    They were thirty before he killed those two. A little more than expected, a pleasant surprise.

    Hended on the two intertwined spears and crushed them with his weight, bringing the two Troglodytes stumbling closer.

    They could only see a white light cutting through the air before everything went dark for eternity.

    He raised his left hand and blocked the bone club from the left, it looks like he was in trouble because the two archers were about to shoot and make him a pincushion.

    But he had an idea, the bone club which was held in a contest of strength between the two of them lost his support and the Troglodyte was taken aback by the suddenck of resistance.

    Esdras sidestep behind it and stabbed through it and held on, not allowing the corps to fall of.

    As expected the two arrows struck the brave Troglodyte who sacrificed himself for the greater good. But it wasn''t done yet!

    Esdras started running while propping the corpse in front of him, two more arrows struck the poor bastard but it didn''t even utter a singleint.

    He always wanted to try this move.

    He then kicked off the corpse of the hero on to one of the panicked archer Troglodytes and at almost the same time he shed it diagonally.

    The other one was running and was able to hide behind a another mob of angry Troglodytes. He was annoyed but it didn''t matter.

    He channeled Vigor throughout his body and in one single motion a blur of cold sword light split the five Troglodytes in half.

    It was so strong that smoke was released from the sword after it cut through them like that.

    Esdras saw something interesting on the bodies of one of the Troglodytes, it was a hemp bag stuffed with half-meter long javelins, smirking, he took it.

    With a lightning quick movement he performed a backflip andnded behind the Troglodyte that was trying to backstab him and stabbed through it simply.

    Looking at himself he was starting to understand that he was capable of so much, it was just his own imagination and limited thoughts that stopped him.

    *Crash!*

    There was a huge w mark on the wall and some cracks, one would think that a bear left that mark but it was the result of a skill, [Beastial w].

    This skill injured Esdras badly to the point he couldn''t go on if he didn''t use a heath potion.

    And even now it would have been a bad attack to get hit by, which is why he dodged it and slit the throat of the Troglodyte that tried that.

    He looked at the remaining Troglodytes with an amused expression, most of them froze in fear after he kill five of them at once with his Vigor attack.

    But a stupid one thought he could ambush him with the skill and ended up dead.

    The rest broke out in fear and rushed to the door only it was firmly closed, it would take some time before they could clear it out and they didn''t have any.

    *Flop!*

    Just as he was about to ughter these monsters, one of them fell on it''s knees in front of Esdras.

    "Jagaka neas!*"

    He didn''t understand what it was saying but he still understood, it was begging for it''s life and surrendering.

    "¡­what?"

    Esdras didn''t think he would see this kind of behavior from a monster. His raised sword fell, he was in a strange state. He didn''t expect this¡­

    To think these bags of EXP would offer up themselves to him?!

    Esdras swung his sword and killed it at once. For that begging he gave it a swift death.

    "Thank you for the EXP." He offered that sincere gratitude for it.

    And then the one-sided ughter ensued.

    As for sparing it for surrendering? Forget it. These monster were just as willing to kill him a second ago. If he wasn''t as strong as he was now he would have ended up eaten already.

    He did not doubt himself for a single moment.

    [+480 EXP]

    Holy smokes! Esdras cursed while drinking two health potions, in the end he was injured when the desperate Troglodytesunched a desperate attack.

    But that amount of EXP was definitely worth it. This is the true value of the dungeon to him, the loot was good but it was EXP that he trulycked in the outside world.

    Speaking of loot, he started opening up the corpses of the Troglodytes one by one, it was a process which had be familiar to him.

    And he found a new type of potion, a low stamina potion, in total he got four potions of stamina and seven of health.

    Thest Troglodyte he tried to loot exploded and a treasure chest appeared in its ce. Literally.

    Esdras took several steps back and blinked, then with some hesitation he opened the lid of the wooden treasure chest and found a ring.

    [Storage ring]: Umon grade magic item, it has a small spatial area, it can store any object that does not contain aplete soul.

    There it is. Esdras picked it eagerly, he knew he would need one of these. But the mages of this world didn''t have anything like this.

    Truly a low level world.

    Fortunately the dungeon was a ce where miracles can happen.

    However after examining it, he came to a frustrating conclusion, he had to reach level 3 apprentice before he could use it.

    It required mana and he had none as of now. Well, having it is better than not having it, right?

 Chapter 18 Temptation And Close Call

    The ring waspletely ck like obsidian, there were dozens of runes and symbols carved on it. Overall it looked nice without drawing too much attention at first nce.

    Esdras wore it around his neck like a ne, he couldn''t use it right now. It was good to keep it under his clothes so that True mages wouldn''t get a good look at it.

    In this world magic items were very rare toe by, and so even a broken magic item was greatly sought after.

    The mages of this world couldn''t create proper magic items, the only ones who could were the dwarves right now.

    But the most valuable magic items were the ones made by the elves before they were exterminated entirely.

    Although the world still hated the elves deeply even thousands of years after they were exterminated, their craftsmanship could not be replicated.

    So as a mage apprentice he better not be seen in possession of a magic item for obvious reasons.

    Esdras drank some water as he was resting, there were a few gulps left, he resolved himself and finished it entirely. He was determined to get out today.

    He looked at the massive amount of EXP he had and was about to invest it all on his mage level but he stopped. He hesitated.

    This is because a thought had urred to him. What would happen if he used EXP to rise to level 2?

    The normal method was to engrave the elemental sigil then the lesser apanying sigils and fuse them together, this way you would be a level 2 mage apprentice.

    But what was he doing now? He was engraving apletely modified sigil of Fire and another neswalker symbol, these were new concepts.

    What if when he leveled up, the system engraved the fire sigil alone? That could be considered a true level up but it was not the way he wanted to advance.

    He wanted to engrave all the elemental sigils, it couldn''t be der otherwise he would be forced to continue as a fire mage.

    Would the system understand his intentions? Who knows, this system didn''tmunicate or anything.

    To be honest, he was tempted to just stop thinking about it and just level up like this. It was easy and fast, who wouldn''t want to increase his power greatly within a few minutes?

    Esdras pped himself across the face, it was only a few hours ago when he was determined to build a solid foundation but now he was about to throw all of that away for a shortcut?

    When he advanced as a Vigor knight, he didn''t try to innovate or do anything, just following the breathing technique.

    It was a simple process but what he was trying to do now as a mage was not.

    The EXP was not going anywhere, if he didn''t use it then it would stay there. So he decided to just grit his teeth, press on for the foundation and then use the system after that.

    That''s right he just had to make the foundation and then the system would take care of the rest so why not hold on?

    Obviously if the boss of the first floor turned out to be a problem he wouldn''t hesitate to use the EXP to level up there and then.

    The first priority was of course his life.

    Going through that struggle was tiresome but after he decided on his course of action he felt relief, he believed in himself.

    Esdras stretched and removed the obstacles in the way of the door, he returned to that intersection and followed thest path.

    It lead to a staircase, he went down until he passed through a wide open square, unexpectedly the boss was not here nor was ambushed.

    If it were up to him he would definitely ambush the yers here.

    Beyond the square there was a dark tunnel that smelled like a pigsty, but after the tunnel there was a wooden gate, that was the boss room.

    Esdras felt like shit because to get to the boss room he literally had to walk in shit. The tunnel was covered in shit and mud and who knows what else?

    Esdras was disgusted beyond measure, it was stacked with that slimy stuff. He stepped in while cursing the Troglodytes, it was almost knee-deep.

    He guessed that this is their doing. Hemented giving them peaceful deaths, this was the worst experience that he ever had in both of his lives.

    Abruptly he felt something coiling around his ankle in the mud, and then he was flipped upside down, without understanding he was aware of the feeling of the air whipping around him.

    His head sttered on the wall of the tunnel.

    Or so it should have been, instead he was protected by a golden halo the caused the wall to copse slightly.

    [The halo of Evasion has been activate once, you escaped a fatal attack.]

    ''W-what!''

    It happened too fast, he had yet to take a clear look but he felt the spiked tentacle stabbing into his leg drag him back and then he saw it.

    [Otyugh Lv.3]

    An Otyugh is a grotesque, bulbous creature borne along on three sturdy legs, its eyes and nose set along a vine-like stalk that snakes from the top of its bloated body.

    Two rubbery tentacles end in spiky, leaf-like appendages that the Otyugh uses to shovel food into its gaping maw. That food happened to be the suspended Esdras right now.

    Esdras tried to swing at the tentacles but he was too slow as it already let him go, down right where a huge maw filled with horrendous fangs awaited him.

    [The halo of Evasion has been activate twice, you escaped a fatal attack.]

    The golden halo tore a deep gash in the body of the Otyugh, Esdras didn''t hesitate, he brandished his sword and used a Vigor attack toplete the job.

    [+50 EXP]

 Chapter 19 First Floor Boss And Loot

    Guys please help out with power stones, the WPCpetition is about to end and I need ALL OF YOUR HELP!

    ****

    The body of the Otyugh was mangled and fell in the shitty mud, dead.

    But Esdras was not jumping with joy, but ovee with a feeling of relief at surviving the encounter. However only a momentter he was in angry.

    Angry at himself, because of the disgusting mess underneath he let his guard down. He thought that he just had to go through the tunnel and to the boss room just like that.

    But, where was he? In a dungeon! The enemies won''t always be in in sight and stupid. It can be considered without exaggeration that he was killed twice by this monster.

    And he wasted two uses of the Halo on this weak monster. When he got it back then he thought that it was going to be his trump card, it would save his life in an epicst battle or something.

    But reality was often disappointing. There was a low chance of getting that kind of protective ability any time soon.

    His dad once told him that he a good personality and steady temperament but he had one w, he would get overconfident too soon.

    Esdras hated to admit it, but he did have a habit of taking it easy when he thought everything was going fine during a game, only for the other side to make aeback in thest minute.

    On Earth this was not too big of a deal, but here? His life was actually on the line.

    Esdras knew that bad habits died hard but he vowed to be rid of this w, if not then it might well be the cause of his doom.

    To start with he neglected a useful weapon that might be of help against the boss of this dungeon.

    He shook off his tardiness and went back to the room where he killed all the Troglodytes. He collected back the short bone javelins, he used many of them but he still salvaged what he could.

    The boss of the first floor could not be underestimated, there was a chance it could be as powerful as a True mage or that it could fly.

    Should he be helpless then?

    With these javelins he could have an extra option in the fight.

    Returning back to the corps of the disgusting Otyugh he didn''t care about the filth and started cutting it open. At a certain point the corps melted and was reced by a small chest.

    ? Inside he found a stark red coin pouch, or at least it looked like one.

    [A Pouch made to perfectly contain energy in any objects that may fit. The greed of it''s creator seeped into the pouch and turned into a powerful cursed enchantment to make it so that not even time nor fate may steal his belongings.]

    Oh, wow. Although he did not really understand what that meant, he could at least see that it was valuable.

    Even more pleasant was the fact that there was something in it, he realized when he picked it up. Immediately he opened it.

    Inside there were two blue stones and one crude ore, the stones shined with an intense magical aura. The ore was just normal and unassuming.

    [Mana stone( intermediate): degraded, severely after thousands of years, the great essence and mana within was absorbed. It is no different than a mana stone.]

    The two mana stones were each the size of his palms. These stones were very valuable, it is said that high level mages seek them with a burning passion.

    The greater the mage was the more mana they needed and meditation was too slow for them inparison to the sheer amount they needed.

    Awesome find!

    Esdras looked at the crude ore.

    [???: ordinary metallic ore, crude and can''t be used for anything but paper weight.]

    That was a little disappointing, he thought that it should be something just as valuable as the mana stones but apparently not.

    Hmm, wait, then why was the name of the ore itself hidden? That was a good question. Moreover, he could not help but feel that there was something wrong with that description.

    In any case¡­ he decided to keep it for now. It might make a good paper weight.

    With all his preparations done, he took a long break outside of the boss room. His condition was good but he used some Vigor against the Otyugh and he wanted to be in perfect shape.

    Fifteen minutester he stood up, he walked over to the huge wooden door and pushed it open. He was greeted with the image of a swamp in a room.

    Shallow green water and bogs, mist and cold blowing winds.

    It was against thews of reality. At least the ones he was familiar with, but he didn''t dwell too long on it, it is what it is.

    He walked in and the doors closed behind him, the visibility was not very good with all that mist, but he could see it clearly.

    Slowly, it approached, even clumsily. It had the walk of a ny year old grandma. But it looked anything but human.

    It was a green decaying husk of what may have once been a man, it had several seemingly deadly wounds yet it did not bleed.

    [Ghoul Lv. 3]

    Skills: 1) Iron body Lv.3

    2) putrid shot Lv.2

    3) Disease bite Lv.2

    Esdras did not hesitate, from that distance he shot a javelin at it. With the power of his enhanced body it was strong enough to kill a bear in one hit.

    And yet.

    The slow ghoul seemingly blurred and dodged the javelin, taking this chance to charge at Esdras.

    But it only took two steps before it was hit with the second and third javelins. Esdras didn''t stop after he threw the first one he threw three more right after.

    It was in anticipation of something like what the ghoul did, Esdras was not fooled by the slow approach at first in the least.

    How could the boss of the floor that killed him twice be weak?

    However his expression did not ease up after the two hitsnded, it turned grave.

 Chapter 20 1st Floor Cleared!

    Guys please help out with power stones, the WPCpetition is about to end and I need ALL OF YOUR HELP!

    ****

    The bone javelins thrown by Esdras were extremely powerful, it can be said that even an orc would be killed in one shot.

    Not just that, it was very likely that the body would be broken horribly with that impact. Right now Esdras was stronger that Calvin, who gave his breathing technique generously.

    And yet, the ghoul was barely injured when he was hit by two consecutive strikes.

    It recovered immediately and fixed its yellowntern-like eyes on Esdras and inhaled deeply, so deeply that it''s whole torso bloated like a frog.

    Esdras felt a chill in the air, he threw two more javelins to disrupt whatever the ghoul was trying to do but it tanked the hits.

    The swamp terrain hindered his movement and made it much harder to dodge, unlike the ghoul who was like a fish in the sea.

    And then it opened it''s mouth and shot several balls of green mush at an incredibly high speed.

    Esdras was already prepared since his attempt failed he dodged the first few shots but he was still hit once. Surprisingly he didn''t feel much damage, it did hurt but¡­

    [Ding! Poison resistance status in effect, when the bar is full you will be unable to resist the effects of the poison and sumb to disease.]

    Shit, so that''s what it was, this was the [Putrid shot] skill he saw. As a Vigor knight with a Physique grade of 4, he had the ability to resist weak poisons for a short while.

    But the poison bar was already half full, if he was shot two more times then his resistance will fail and the poison will take effect.

    Esdras had no choice but to take the fight to closebat.

    He didn''t waste any time putting his thoughts into action, going into a sprint he brandished his sword at the same time.

    The ghoul may have predicted his move as it fired two more shots at him before it returned to regr size.

    Esdras countered by waiting until thest moment and then jumped in the air two meters high, and performing a plunge attack.

    The ghoul still didn''t recoverpletely after using that skill, perhaps it thought that Esdras would dodge to the left or right, maybe even slow down to block.

    But Esdras had no intention of giving it any time to recover, he channeled his vigor in this attack.

    The ghoul wasn''t prepared but it still used both of its hands to block and redirected the attack from the head to the chest.

    The plunge from the air and the Vigor gave the attack and explosive power as it drilled a hole in the torso of the ghoul.

    However, the ghoul did not beat an eyelid as it tried to bite him, surprised by this Esdras took a step back only to get kicked.

    The ghoul twisted it''s body in a way that no human could and actually allowed the sword plunged into it to tear into it more.

    Esdras held his kidney and grimaced, he aimed for the head in beginning because he thought something like this might happen. It was an undead after all.

    No matter, Esdras took off his shirt, rolled it into a ball and forcefully gaged the ghoul, then broke both of it''s arms and legs which was much harder than he thought.

    As long as the monster was stered to the ground thanks to his sword he had the time to do what must be done.

    "You''re an undead huh? You think your so tough!"

    With that roar he started punching the head of the ghoul repeatedly, the most annoying part was that the ghoul didn''t seem to feel pain, it was just continuously struggling.

    After a while Esdras looked at his knuckles in disbelief, they were starting to bleed and this thing was still alive and kicking.

    It was because of [Iron body] since the beginning of the battle it was this skill that caused him so much trouble as it amplified the toughness of the ghoul''s body.

    Originally, the plunge attack infused with vigor would have been enough to absolutely crush the ghoul without a problem.

    Esdras thought about what to do and a momentter he, stood up and pulled his sword out. The ghoul struggled but it couldn''t get up.

    ¡­.he should have done this from the start.

    He struck the head experimentally and sighed after he saw the result, it only left a shallow wound. He channeled vigor and destroyed the head of the ghoul.

    It could have been easier if he had a blunt weapon, but this is life, things don''t always work out in the most ideal way.

    [+125 EXP]

    The swamp around him started dissipating like a mirage that never really existed. The ce now looked like a very big audience hall, onlypletely empty.

    Save for a door and a treasure chest glowing with light in the center of the room. He went over to the chest and the light condensed on his left hand.

    [Ding! You have sessfully cleared the first floor of the Rust Fang dungeon, you are granted the mark of the dungeon.]

    [Ding! You have fulfilled the conditions to leave the dungeon. As a Pioneer you have been granted more knowledge regarding the dungeon.]

    [Mark of the dungeon: with this mark you will be able to enter the dungeon again as long as you are with in 20 meters of the dungeon whose mark you have.]

    He opened the chest after reading the notifications.

    [Badge of Rangers: an umon grade magic item, it has the ability to shoot ten arrows. The arrows could be infused with attributes if used by a ranger.]

    The giant door leads to the second floor, besides the door was a purple swirling vortex of light, this was his way back.

    Esdras look at the mark of the dungeon on his left hand and confidently walked through the purple vortex.

    He would return to the dungeon but there was preparations to be done and some people to deal with¡­

    His eyes were as sharp as swords.

 Chapter 21 You Have To Wear A Hooded Cloak If Youâ€™re A Mage

    Esdras emerged from the purple vortex outside of the copsed cave, he was shirtless, sweaty and smelled like shit.

    "I did it!"

    Nheless he threw his hands in the air and celebrated, this was the first time in both lives that he experienced such a tense situation.

    His life was constantly in danger for two days, the sun was going down now.

    Esdras felt his heart beating and his body pumping with power, this, this is what it means to be alive.

    On Earth Esdras lived a stable but monotonous life, this is why he was obsessed with the ancient stone te, because he wanted more from life.

    And he got his wish. To be honest since he came to this world there were times when he regretted his past actions and desire.

    ''What''s wrong with a normal life?''

    ''Just grow up, stop daydreaming.''

    ''Life is not a game, don''t be ridiculous.''

    He heard these words many times and variations of them too. These words hung over him like mountains. He often shrugged them off, or at least he pretended to, maybe he convinced himself.

    But since he came to this world he thought of them more and more, maybe this all happened because of his unrealistic views. But, but¡­

    Right in this moment he did not regret anything. On Earth he was just surviving not living! There was a difference between those two concepts.

    But every time he survived a deadly encounter, every time he leveled up and felt that power flowing through him he felt alive, truly alive and not just a walking corpse.

    Perhaps there wille a time when he regretted these thoughts and wanted to turn back but it was already toote, he was here and he was here to stay.

    He was being schemed against since the moment he opened his eyes, he didn''t know why exactly they were going so far just to kill him but he didn''t care about their reasons very much.

    All that mattered was that they were after him, and he obviously wasn''t going to let them get away with it.

    Since they chose to make him their enemy they should be prepared to die.

    But first he had to find out what happened. That day when the cave copsed, to him it was no ident.

    He should have paid attention, when he first walked into the camp, there were two soldiers instead of the four assigned to each team by senior Ron.

    What happened to the other two? He remembered the deadpan expressions on the two soldiers¡­

    He should have guessed, they must have been used in a ''n'' by Bran the day before. He had a clue as to what kind of person Bran was.

    But even then what could he have done? Refused orders? Make a run for it?

    The mages tower was not a social club that can be joined and quit as one liked. Leaving like that would be considered treason and he would be a fugitive wanted all over the continent.

    That is, if he wasn''t directly crippled and taken to senior Ron by Bran. After all, back then Esdras was not even a Vigor knight back then.

    In any case he wasn''t going to take this attempt on his life lying down, but he also couldn''t directly kill any apprentice.

    He had to find a suitable method to dispose of those bastards.

    Hmm, Esdras cleaned himself up in a nearby stream and hunted a rabbit and roasted it at sunset. During that time he spotted a goblin in the forest.

    This gave him an idea. It''s not like they were the only ones who can scheme.

    He didn''t kill the goblin even though he didn''t want to lose out on the EXP but he wasn''t in a rush. Then until veryte at night he focused on engraving the neswalker symbol and the Fire elemental sigil.

    His progress was going very smoothly, better than expected, after all even when he was not meditating his subconscious mind kept working on it, although it was much slower than directly doing it.

    But it also saved him some time and effort.

    The next day, Esdras woke up, he slept hugging his precious bag. It contained an insane amount of wealth, mana stones and many magic items.

    It had to be known that even a True mage is likely to not have a single magic item. They were that rare.

    The elves were exterminated four thousand five hundred years ago, the remaining magic items were so little that a conflict might ur over ownership of a magic item.

    So he was extremely careful and decided to keep it with him at all times just in case some busybody tried looking inside.

    After getting out of the forest and back to the supply route he just followed the path while admiring the scenery.

    His hand caressed the sword in regret, it was already out of shape, he was too strong and the monsters too tough, it was just a normal sword.

    He had hoped to get some sort of magic sword after clearing the first floor of the dungeon but he wasn''t that lucky.

    It was time to rece it with a better one. Maybe he should get a mace since these kinds of weapons were very durable.

    Three hourster, just when he was about to take a break he saw fort Kizdin after the hill. He observed carefully before getting closer, it wasn''t under attack currently.

    "Identify yourself vagrant?!"

    From the ramparts a bellowing voice reached him when he was close to the gate.

    "Vagrant my ass!" Esdras shot back, "look carefully, I am a mage apprentice from the Octarine tower! My seniors should be in here."

    "You have too long a tongue for a sellsword, I''ll give you that, this is yourst warning get out of here before I turn you into a pincushion."

    Esdras realized that he currently looked like a sellsword without a shirt and hanging a sword by his waist, a wild and unclean look about him.

    ''Do I have to wear a hooded cloak everywhere I go?!''

    "¡­ my friend don''t be hasty. I have a few gold coins for you, and also I have my tower badge please take a look at it."

    He had to take a step back.

 Chapter 22 Overall Situation

    Naturally the captain himself wouldn''te down but sent ackey to check up on his tower badge.

    The badge of the Octarine tower depicted five crystal pirs standing side by side, pointing to the sky.

    Since he belonged to the Crimson tower it was put in the center and the only one colored the others were not, and since he was an apprentice the background was yellow.

    As he moved up in rankings the colors would change to blue and then to the Crimson if he advanced again, if he were to be a Master mage then they wouldn''t change the color.

    They would have to add another pir to the badge.

    The five pirs represented the five Master mages of the Octarine tower, each one of them was the pinnacle of knowledge and power in all thend.

    Each of the current Masters was older than three hundred years! Older than some kingdoms entirely.

    "He''s telling the truth!"

    The soldier shouted to the captain on the ramparts.

    "¡­ let him in, open the gates!"

    The captain sounded reluctant and Esdras heard some snickers from the soldiers above.

    ''The moral seems pretty high, not very tense at all.''

    This something that yed well into his prediction regarding the current situation. So his guess about the intentions of the higher-ups should not be wrong either.

    Esdras walked in through the gate and found a middle aged man waiting for him with a forced smile.

    "Hahah, lord mage, please forgive me for my earlier transgression¡­ please let me guid you to your quarters. I shall have the ves prepare a bath and the servants to cook a hot meal for you at once."

    Esdras had a cold expression as he walked in front and the captain two steps back.

    "Did any of the teams get here before me?" Esdras asked.

    "Eh, oh yes, two days ago three apprentices came over iming they were the first to clear all the monsters in their designated area."

    Esdras smirked.

    "Oh, that''s good. Also about what happened earlier, it''s not a big deal, rather I would be disappointed if you allowed any random guy passage. You were doing your duty, captain, what''s your name?"

    The captain looked pleasantly surprised and even taken aback as he expected to at least get reprimanded, this is why he walked away with Esdras, so his subordinates wouldn''t see that.

    "I¡­ Thank you for the kind words, lord mage. I am just following orders, my duty is my first priority¡­ thank you for your understanding¡­ they call me Rolf."

    "Rolf, good man. I am Esdras, and there''s no need to be formal with me. You must have a smithy here, yes? Can you get me a weapon suitable for a Vigor knight?"

    "Oh? Eh, yes?" Rolf looked confused but then his expression reverted to normal, "I will, I will definitely do that for you."

    "Good, I''m counting on you. We''re on short notice, am I right?"

    Rolf eyes widened, "I can''t say anything but¡­ if you figured out this much then¡­" with that he just nodded his head.

    Good, with this he confirmed that they were going to be sent out again to clear the monsters in the forest. At that time he was going to have a very good chance to deal with the troublemakers.

    After taking a long rxing bath and scrubbing himself with soap until he glistened, he finally got rid of that awful smell. Next, he ate a hearty lunch of roasted duck and mashed potatoes.

    Esdras figured out that they would be sent again to the forest because he saw that other monsters, like the goblins took over the ce of the kobolds.

    And when he saw that the fort was not under any immediate threat he suspected that the reinforcements they needed was basically keeping the monsters in the supply route suppressed.

    Also he remembered that conversation with the two unfortunate soldiers, this ce was so peaceful that three viges could survive here normally, so what happened?

    There was a reason why the forest changed and monsters appeared in endless numbers, it was a guess for now but Esdras suspected that it had something do with the dungeon.

    So piecing these clues together he figured out what was required of them.

    In fact, he suspected that senior Ron figured it out before them and sent them ahead of even learning the situation of the fort himself, just by observing the situation in the forest.

    The reason why he told them toe back in four days was because he wasn''t sure yet at the time.

    What Bran and the others didn''t realize what that he ordered them to keep quelling the monsters for four days not to exterminate the monsters and get back, and it certainly wasn''t some kind of race.

    Which is why Esdras was now reporting to senior Ron in a luxurious room in the fort.

    "You seem to have changed a bit, apprentice Varthos." Senior Ron stated.

    Esdras''s family name in this world was Varthos.

    "Yes, I saw some meager sess in vigor training." Esdras respectfully replied.

    The changes were too obvious, it was hard to hide growing from 1.5 m to 1.7 m in a matter of days, and his scrawny figure turned broad and muscr.

    "A lowly path," Ron sneered, in clear disdain but not for Esdras in particr but vigor knights in general, "no matter, I received word of your death, interestingly enough you seem to be doing very well instead."

    "I fear the rumors of my death may have been exaggerated, senior. I also heard that they imed to have cleared the monsters in the area? Please have a look at this."

    Esdras handed senior Ron a goblin ear, freshly cut yesterday.

    "I could understand why they would think I was dead but¡­" Esdras had a truly confused look on his face, "Why would they im to have killed all the monsters?"

    Senior Ron''s hand that held the goblin ear clenched.

    "Let them in."

    He ordered, and the door behind him open, three confused looking-kids entered.

 Chapter 23 Beginning Of Revenge And Next Realm

    The three of them were precisely, Bran, Tara and Theo, the bastards that tried to use him and then kill him like some bug.

    Unfortunately he did not see the shock and panic he expected on their faces when they saw him, he saw only slight confusion and curiosity.

    ''Oh, they didn''t recognize me¡­''

    "Hey, guys, did you miss me?"

    "Who might you be?" Bran asked looking nervously between him and senior Ron.

    "Oh, don''t tell me you don''t recognize me anymore, I your fellow apprentice, Esdras. Did you forget me so fast? That makes me sad¡­"

    Esdras shook his head looking hurt that they didn''t know him.

    "You¡­" Tara pointe at him and her voice shook. Bran''s eyes were about to fall off his face, he stuttered, "no, that can''t be right, I was sure you, you¡­ you were in there when we¡ª"

    "When we identally, copsed the cave because we didn''t realize how frail it was." Tara quickly intervened. She recovered in record time.

    "Oh, it was an unfortunate¡­ ident. I am sure you were troubled by what happened, s I was lucky and escaped barely."

    Esdras had no intention of using them of intentionally trying to kill him, because he knew just how hard it would be to prove something like that.

    But¡­ he alreadyid down the web that would lead to their doom.

    "Now, are you done yapping?" Senior Ron asked and the three of them stiffened, in their shock they forgot where they were.

    "We''re terribly sorry, senior!" The three quick bowed.

    "You''re not sorry enough, yet. Trust me on that." Senior Ron ominously said.

    "you came earlier than I told you toe but I let that slide since you said the monsters were dealt with. You told me that Esdras Varthos was dead and yet he''s very much alive. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

    "We really thought Esdras died, even if he wasn''t crushed under the stones and rubble he was bound to die without any air. And it''s also true that we kill off all the monsters in that area, I swear my words are the truth."

    Bran, the level 4 apprentice came forward to speak on behalf of the group. After all his talent and achievements so far gave him some leeway.

    "Oh, really?" Ron asked rhetorically, "this is a goblin''s ear. Besides I told you guys toe back only four dayster regardless of the results, and you failed to follow my orders, three strikes. One might think that you''re taking me as a joke."

    The room got much colder suddenly, the firece was zing but it was as if it wasn''t.

    "Tell me, Bran, are my words a joke to you?" Ron asked sofly.

    But Bran the other two were trembling like trees in a storm, "no, certainly, n-not¡ª"

    "Kneel."

    "What?" Bran asked raising his eyebrows.

    "¡­ do I have to repeat myself?" Ron muttered.

    Suddenly Bran was mmed into the ground violently out of nowhere, his nose was broken by the noise it made. This was due to Ron''s magic, it was so fast they couldn''t react.

    The other two knelt immediately.

    "From now on the leader is Esdras, you will be sent back to suppress the monsters again in four days. You will obey his everymand without question and if he were to be dissatisfied with any of you, you can expect to spend two weeks in the Ironfrost cell when we return to the tower."

    "Yes, yes, senior. Thank you senior."

    Esdras had a smug smirk the whole time, the three of them didn''t dare to look up, naturally this was only the beginning. He didn''t just want them punished, he wanted them to disappear from this world.

    Naturally his role as the leader in the uing task was very favorable to him, it was something that he didn''t expect. Good fortune is for good people indeed.

    Esdras gave them a final look before he excused himself and returned to his quarters.

    He spent the rest of his time meditating in hopes of getting this hard part over with. The earlier disy of magic left him excited, that move was like lifting a finger to Ron.

    Tomorrow the rest of the apprentices were going to return and three days after that they had to head back and suppress the monsters, this time for a longer amount of time seemingly.

    This was good news for him, as the leader he could assign the bastards the hard work, while he cleared the dungeon in secret. And look for a way to dispose of them.

    Esdras main source of power currently was a Vigor knight, but he had already, supposedly, reached the apex of what could be achieved.

    However Esdras disagreed, after all he was already stronger than Calvine who was supposedly at the end too. He did that by increasing his stats of Physique and Vigor.

    Through this he had a guess as to what was holding back this ss, it was Vigor. That''s right, it was the very thing that gave the ss it''s power that also limited those who chose this path.

    It''s because when people awakened Vigor treated it like mages treated mana, the more the better. It was not apletely mistaken thought.

    But this way they ended up neglecting something else, Physique. The source of vigor was the body itself to begin with, the right method was to train both, the physique is the actual priority.

    That is because even if you increased the amount of vigor you had you wouldn''t be able to put it to use properly. In fact it could be a burden on the body.

    So, from that understanding thanks to his martial talent he predicted that the next stage foe Vigor knights came after three conditions were met.

    The first was the, growth of the body and vigor to the point where vigor enveloped the entire body like blood. Currently his vigor amounted to half his chest.

    The second was that it was no longer necessary to channel Vigor to use it, instead every move contained Vigor, even just walking or eating. It has to be as natural as breathing, all while being in control of it.

    Finally to breakthrough into a higher realm then one mustpress all that Vigor into apact form, like a core.

    So the next realm should be called, Vigor core.

 Chapter 24 I Grow Stronger By Sleeping

    However before that he had to get used to the Vigor, it had to be flexible, this is what he has been doing for the past two days since he cleared the first floor of the dungeon.

    Since he returned to his room he simply trained, by night he could feel that he had enough confidence to move the Vigor around his body without any obstructions.

    The Vigor moved as a whole from his chest to his right arm, then to the left, he repeated that action for both of his legs.

    With that done, he returned the Vigor to his chest and then split it to two parts and channeled it to both his arms at once, then to his legs. Finally he channeled it to all four limbs at the same time.

    Esdras was sweating slightly, the amount of concentration and willpower needed to do this and maintain it was not simple.

    He checked the system and realized that he leveled up his Vigor knight ss to level two, but he didn''t get any stat or skill points because he did it naturally, not using the system.

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    Race: Human (world wyrm)

    Title: Pioneer

    sses: 1) Apprentice mage Lv.1 (0/30 EXP)

    2) Vigor knight Lv.2 (0/120 EXP)

    Physique: 4

    Agility: 2

    Intelligence: 3

    Spirituality: 3

    Mana: 0

    Vigor: 4

    Origin points: 5

    EXP: 697

    Mystical talent: 3 (0/8 OP)

    Martial talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    Stat points: 0

    Skill point: 1

    Seeing this, he decided to use the system to level up one more time, he could probably do it on his own in two to three days but he wanted the stat and skill points, as they made his progress much easier.

    He had a decent amount of EXP stored, its not like he was short on it right now.

    He needed to get stronger to clear the entire dungeon as soon as possible. He needed to speed up his advancements, to get more EXP he needed to spend EXP.

    To that end he will it in his mind and saw his level rise, within him, he felt the Vigor vibrating and it unexpectedly was absorbed by his internal organs.

    His heart, liver, kidney and so on. Esdras went into a trance, he felt sleepy so he went over to the bed and covered himself before falling asleep.

    He could not feel his organs expand and contract, for a long time.

    After that his Vigor moved out of his internal organs and was absorbed by his bones all over his body, undergoing the same process. Next it was his muscles, veins and skin.

    The night passed and morning came. Esdras woke up from his sleep by the knocking on his door.

    "Lord mage, are you in need of some bath water?"

    "Yes,e on in."

    The servants came carrying a heated water and dumped it in the tube in his room.

    Esdras looked at his body in surprise, he wasn''t sticky and his clothes weren''t ruined by the impurities extracted from his body.

    No impurities were extracted, there was no foul smell.

    ''Well, that turned out to be a lie.''

    Wait, maybe he wasn''t at the right level. Someday he will meditate and extract all the ''impurities!''.

    He observed his body and notice that his skin got much clearer and his body felt great, it was good before but now it felt like he was a superhuman.

    However something strange happened in this level up, he only got two skill points, and only two stat points.

    He still didn''t figure out how the system level ups worked, at least notpletely. It seems like his rewards diminished the higher his level was.

    He rxed in the bathtub and checked his stats, they didn''t change at all. However despite that he felt like he still improved by several steps, not everything was represented by the system.

    Speaking of which, he got a notification in the skill page, opening it he got two new passive skills.

    The first skill was called [Veteran''s hunch Lv.1]: as a seasoned warrior, you developed a keen sense of danger and can predict the flow of battles and aim for weak spots.

    After reading the description Esdras wanted to scratch his head, since when was he a ''seasoned warrior''? Well, it''s not like he wasining.

    It seemed like a very practical skill, that could be very helpful in the uing battles.

    Thest one was called [Vitality Lv.1]: you have acquired a powerful life force, what is fatal to others might not be so to you. You can also heal minor internal wounds using Vigor.

    This one was definitely a powerful skill, moreover it was a passive skill! Esdras was no longer aggrieved about not getting three stat points after all.

    It was because of the two new passive skills that he felt so good despite not increasing any of his basic stats during the level up.

    With that being said, Esdras invested the two skill points he had on his [Third eye Lv.1] and on [Vitality Lv.1] bringing both to level 2.

    With this he could probably see the stats and skills of True mages along with a greater amount of information from appraising items. Vitality of course helped him survive, investing in it was never wrong.

    After breakfast with the three other apprentices who refused to talk to him, he heard amotion at the gate.

    "They returned huh." Esdras muttered.

    "Robert is back!" Tara cheered and looking around quickly distanced herself from Bran, who in turn opened his mouth in bewilderment.

    "Now, we''ll see just how big you''ve gotten." Tara red venomously at him and sneered.

    "Suit yourself." Esdras smirked, he wasn''t afraid of any apprentice any longer, if Robert actually attempted to attack him openly he would be doing Esdras a huge favor.

    The door was opened roughly, but it wasn''t Robert that entered but Celine. Wearing her long purple robes that couldn''t conceal her curves, her amber eyes looked around, searching.

    "You, guys Esdras was part of your team, where is he?" She looked at the group of four eating breakfast.

 Chapter 25 Confront And Provoke!

    Three of them were her fellow apprentices and the other one was a stranger. He must be a mage since he sat on the same table or a highly esteemed noble.

    "Um¡­ hey, it''s me." Esdras coughed and called out to her. His voice sounded somewhat familiar, where did shest hear it? ¡­hm?

    Celine narrowed her eyes and got closer, "what? Who¡­ Esdras! What happened to you?"Her jaw almost fell to the floor.

    "Is it that surprising? That''s a little too dramatic." Esdras was slightly embarrassed, he even saw the three bastards beside him nodding approvingly at Celine''s reaction.

    "It''s a sudden growth spurt, I guess." Esdras nonchntly replied.

    "Are you¡­ joking?" Celine asked in shock and disbelief.

    ''Oh, right.''

    The old Esdras was a shy and kept to himself due to his inferiorityplex, he spoke very little and kept to himself. This made it a hassle to keep acting like him.

    ''Ah, screw it!''

    Esdras decided to just not pretend to be the old Esdras anyway, he didn''t care what other people thought about it anymore.

    What troubled him was how he should behave with Celine considering her closeness to him, but he simply decided to be himself.

    "Yeah, it''s a joke. Come take a seat, have you had breakfast yet?" Esdras gestured to the seat beside him.

    Well, he did inherit a life and death grudge from the old Esdras so he might as well inherit the good things too! It''s only fair¡­ hehe.

    Unfortunately Celine was still shocked and unresponsive, so he took her hand and guided her to sit on the chair.

    "Here, you want some bread? If you put some cheese and honey on it tastes really good."

    Esdras gave her some instructions and she followed absentmindedly.

    "Hey¡­" he leaned into her ear and whispered, "can you snap out of it? You''re embarrassing me. I just trained in some vigor breathing technique, okay."

    Celine blushed and dropped the bread slice from her hand. Her lips parted, "you¡­ are you really Esdras?"

    "The new and improved version, you could say." Esdras chuckled.

    "You''re still joking, I am being serious!" Celine clearly had enough, she sent several punches to his forearm. They were just soft punches.

    "Jeez, I''m serious too, lightened up will you." Esdras found her frowning face adorable and teasing her was fun.

    The other apprentices poured in shortly after that and the ce was filled with activity. But not all was well, it looks like six apprentices didn''t make it.

    Tsk, tsk, this is life.

    Esdras continued chatting,ughing and eating with Celine. Suddenly the ce became quite around them, he was aware of someone standing behind him and ring daggers at him.

    But Esdras didn''t care, he feigned ignorance and smiled at Celine, "heye on, I can''t eat anymore, do you want me to be fat like a pig?!"

    "No," Celine held her tummy with one hand,ughing she had a fork of sausage in the other hand and was trying to feed Esdras, "your body grew so much you have to eat more."

    "That''s enough!" Robert''s disgruntled voice roared behind them at this moment.

    "Oh, Robert? Is that you?" Esdras turned around, "oh, don''t worry about the food, there''s still more."

    "It''s not about the food," Robert said with gritted teeth, "Tara just told me about what you did, can you exin yourself?!"

    Esdras was treating himpletely differently, he wasn''t trembling nor did he look down, in fact he had an air of confidence around him.

    "Robert, why are targeting Esdras? He didn''t do anything!" Celine tried to defend him, but Esdras motioned for her not to interfere.

    "What I did? Oh, I just reported the truth to senior Ron, what of it?" He answered Robert.

    "You could have just kept quite about it since you got to live." Robert sneered, Tara, Sam and his goonsughed behind him.

    Esdras stood up, from that height he looked down on Robert, although he was just half a head taller it was enough.

    "What else did she tell you? Did she tell you how she warmed my bed thest four nights?" Esdras smirked and looked all over Tara''s tantalizing body like he knew her in and out.

    "W-what?" Robert took a step back like he couldn''t believe his ears.

    "Did I stutter? She was pretty good, you sure know how to pick them."

    "You''re a liar!" Tara immediately used, red faced and aghast at once.

    "Hey! She''s my fianc¨¦! You can eat shit if you want but think twice about ruining my reputation!" Robert''s face swelled like a tomato and his fists shook.

    They were engaged? Well, well, well, that makes things very interesting. His eyes gleamed with a mischievous light.

    "Hey, just because your boyfriend''s here you want to pretend like nothing happened? Oh, well, you always like to act reluctant but when it''s time for business, you were a proper whore."

    Naturally Esdras said boyfriend on purpose.

    "You¡ª do you want to die?! Are you actually tired of living?!" Robert mana started fluctuating and his eyes shined with the swirling mana.

    "Oh? You remember this?" Esdras pointe at the bandages on his head and with one tug, he freed his blond hair.

    "My head healed just fine." Esdras said with a dark tone, unlike his yful one from a moment ago, "thank you for going easy on me."

    Robert''s anger vanished at sight of Esdras''s healed head, his eyes about to pop out of their sockets.

    "What in the¡ª"

    "What''s wrong Robert? Teach this brat a lesson!" Tara, who didn''t understand what was going on looked confused.

    "Yeah, if you want to challenge me to a spar I will ept, how about it, Robert? Wanna give it another try?" Esdras eagerly asked.

    This is the same tactic Robert used to provoke the old Esdras into challenging him. If Robert really did challenge him then he could cripple Robert in the spar without much consequences.

    And not long after this, they were going to be deployed into the forest once again, will Robert really survive in that state?

    But unfortunately Robert calmed down and didn''t say anything anymore. He was indeed better than the old Esdras.

    "Celine, let''s get out of here, I don''t like chicken for breakfast." Esdras pulled Celine up and walked out, the crowd split and opened a path for them.

    But before he left, Esdras turned around and quickly spanked Tara in the ass causing her to yelp.

    "Hey, I know your boyfriend is here now but, I know you wille to me at night all the same." He said in mock whisper but made sure everyone could hear him.

    "Y-you shameless cur!" Tara roared after him.

    Esdras ignored her entirely and along with Celine they walked out.

    "Let''s go to the smithy, I need a weapon." Esdras said.

    "Wait," when the were out in the yard Celine stopped and looked at him, pouting, "did you really sleep with Tara."

    Hm?

    ''This¡­ it seems like I''m in trouble?''

 Chapter 26 Planting Flags Left And Right

    Esdras didn''t have the chance to reply before Celine continued talking on her own.

    "You can''t sleep with her, she''s a dirty girl, I''ve seen her with too many boys! She''s a vixen! She uses her body to get what she wants from boys, you can''t trust her!"

    ''Hm? What''s this? I can use this.''

    Esdras was about to tell her that he just lied to provoke Robert but he sensed a chance, so he grinned.

    "I don''t know about that, but you know I''m a growing man, I have certain¡­ needs."

    Upon hearing this Celine''s gaze subconsciously fell on his groin. Catching herself she looked back at his face and saw his teasing smile, and freaked out.

    "Hey, where were you looking? My eyes are right here." Esdras chuckled.

    "N-no, I didn''t, I was distracted¡­ anyway that girl is dirty, you shouldn''t do it with her!" Celine decided to quickly change the subject.

    "True, true. But then who will take care of¡­ you know¡­ I can''t control it myself, and Tara seems to know what to do¡­"

    "No! Not her, I''ll do it!" Celine proimed out of frustration!

    Esdras couldn''t believe his ears, that worked?

    "I''m your personal maid, it''s my job in the first ce, why didn''t you tell me¡­" the longer she talked the more her voice softened until it became like that of a mosquito.

    ''Oh, so that''s why. Celine was still Esdras''s personal maid, warming his bed was always one of her duties. But because the old Esdras felt inferior he distanced himself from her and Celine felt rejected.''

    Esdras still had a hard timeing to terms with this world''s values but he was already a resident of this world.

    "But¡­ I don''t know what to do like Tara, but, but, if you teach me I can do anything she can and much better!"

    Hmm, it looks like there''s also some kind of rivalry between the two of them. Not to mention that Robert was obviously lusting after Celine, so Tara must have a beef with Celine.

    ''Well, don''t mind if I do. Hehehe''

    "Alright, I will take you up on that offer. How about I teach you slowly tonight?"

    "Eh¡­ okay, slowly, don''t forget!" Celine said herst words before covering her blushing face and scampering to who knows where.

    Esdras put the matter to the back of his mind and walked leisurely to the front gate. After all, he was twenty three when he was on Earth, he certainly wasn''t a virgin.

    He found some of the soldiers chatting by the gate and called one of them over.

    "Can you call captain Rolf? Tell him it''s Esdras."

    As the soldier climbed the rampart, Esdras leaned on the wall to wait for Rolf, meanwhile he overheard the conversation of the few soldiers here.

    "Stop being so craven, Tom! This is the great Elbrim kingdom, the king of dragons is our liege, are we afraid of some orcs now?!"

    The banner of the Elbrim kingdom was the silhouette of a man riding a dragon both were painted in gold on a ck background.

    "Yeah, we repelled thebined forces of the West coast, is the so-called orc king any different? Bullshit I say!"

    "Not to mention, if all else fails, there''s always the court mage to protect us! He even called reinforcements from the Octarine tower!"

    "But¡­ wasn''t Duke Ramon known as the butcher of orcs, everyone knows hust how great his forces were, in the end he still fell and the orcs upied the territory¡­"

    "h! That''s just not true, everyone knows the duke had his forces scattered and the cowardly orcsunched a sneak attack. There''s some luck on their side, but it''s simply impossible for the capital to fall to some orcs."

    "I guess¡­ you''re right, I don''t know what I was thinking¡­"

    Esdras who was listening wanted to beat these guys to a pulp, do they not know what a red g is?! Fuck, he almost lost control.

    "Oh, but won''t we be in danger, after all, we''re sending supplies to the capital?"

    "Nah, there''s no way, there are six other forts scattered all over the kingdom, we''re just one of them. There''s no way we could get attacked!"

    A vein throbbed on Esdras''s forehead!

    "You know what, I''ll bet on my name nothing happens here and everything gets resolved safely, or my name is not Trillin!"

    "Fuck you!" With a beast-like shout Esdras pounced on Trillin and gave him a good one to the face, he was about to start raining down punches on him.

    "Who do you work for? Huh? You''re a traitor! I''m gonna kill you!!" Esdras roared.

    "No¡­ I''m not! ¡­ captain! Save¡­ me!" Trillin screamed.

    Rolf who just came down and the two other soldiers pulled him back.

    "No! Let me go! This menace must be stopped!" Esdras allowed them to pull him back.

    "I will punish himter," Rolf said with difficulty, "didn''t you want to see the weapons I arranged for you? Let''s go."

    Esdras calmed down and red at the soldier while he left. Obviously he didn''t put any strength into the punch, otherwise he would have died.

    Taking a round about way they went to the fort smithy, where an old man greeted them and showed them many weapons.

    "These are the weapons that most Vigor knights prefer, they are usually five times heavier than their regr counterparts, please chose whichever one you like."

    The weapons were all thicker and shinier than normal, but Esdras didn''t feel like they had that oomph behind them.

    Moreover he wasn''t a regr Vigor knight, these weapons felt too light and flimsy to him.

    "What about that one?" Esdras pointed to a corner where a weapon was covered with a in cloth.

    "This¡­ lord mage, it''s not suitable, to tell you the truth it''s a failure, really. I didn''t know what I was doing when I made it¡­"

    Esdras grew even more interested in it, that kind of description sounded somewhat familiar.

    "Well, what one man finds to be useless might not be so for another. Show it to me and let me be the judge."

 Chapter 27 New Weapon And Inspiration

    The old smith removed the cloth to reveal a huge spiked mace, it was as long as a long sword, absolutely a wrong design for a mace.

    "It''s too big, actually it was my stupid apprentice who worked on it, by the time I noticed the mistakes it was far toote to fix it so I figured I might as well keep it to remind the boy what not to do."

    Esdras picked it up and was pleasantly surprised by the weight, now this is something he could work with.

    He mainly wanted something durable to sustain his dungeon delving. It''s not like he expected to find a legacy weapon randomly, he would have to seek out a royal smith or a dwarf from the blue mountains.

    "No, this is perfect for my needs, I''ll take it. How much?"

    The old man looked at him, his face agape at Esdras picking up the mace with one hand. He needed four strong men just to barely moved across the smithy.

    "Uh, just fifty silver coins my lord."

    "Take a gold coin, here, I don''t want to hear the people say I mistreated you." Esdras generously gave out the coin.

    One good thing about tbe old Esdras was that he didn''t spend much of his allowance, so when his uncle started decreasing the amount every year he still had saved enough money.

    That was in part because he didn''t go out or have any friends to hang out with. Which is a little sad.

    Unfortunately that kid was done in the moment he was shipped off to the mage tower with that kind of talent.

    "Thank you, thank you!" The old man bowed.

    "If you''re done, I need to go and resume my post." Rolf said when they finished and Esdras nodded.

    "Esdras, is that you?!"

    Just as he was about to head back in he heard someone call out to him, it was Calvin, the Vigor knight who gave him his breathing technique.

    "Oh, It''s really you, I knew the apprentices wereing back today, but you¡­"

    "Yeah, yeah, I know I look like apletely different person, I went through this conversation a few times already, get over it."

    "Woah, no need to be snappy now, it''s only normal, I would imagine it''s ten times more shocking to people who knew you. So, how did this happen?"

    "Eh, well, it''s thanks to the technique you gave me actually." Esdras honestly answered.

    "What? Really, this?! But, that can''t be right¡­ this can only happen after years and years of endless training¡­"

    ? "Well, what can I say? It seems I have some talent for it actually, it sort if happened¡­"

    Naturally Esdras wouldn''t say the whole truth, after all, he had to keep some stuff to himself.

    "Talent¡­ I guess that''s the only exnation. Anyway I''m d you were able to make use of the technique so you can protect yourself." Calvin smiled and patted him on the shoulder looking very happy for him.

    Esdras could feel that Calvin had no ill intentions for him and was simply happy, he was just a simpleminded good guy. It was really hard to not like such a guy.

    "Oh, I know!" Calvin pped, "e with me, I want to show you something. With your talent you may be able to make something out of it."

    "Eh? Alright lets go, I also wanted to tell you something so let''s go." Esdras wanted to tell Calvin a bit about his findings regarding the advancements of Vigor knights.

    Obviously he wouldn''t tell anyone how to advance to the next realm until he himself did, but he didn''t mind guiding Calvin a little as thanks for giving him the technique generously.

    In a huge training ground, soldiers were scattered about doing their own thing, instructors were barking their lungs out.

    Esdras and Calvin upied a remote corner. Calvin took out a notebook and showed Esdras a diagram of the human body.

    "See, do you understand now?" Calvin asked desperately.

    "These drawings are a sin against humanity, worse than your own exnation." Esdras had enough of this.

    "I will show you, then, look this is the first move." Calvin sighed, took his spear and got into a stance.

    He performed a thrust then a sidestep and and spinning sh in quick session.

    "Did you see that? Do you understand what I mena now?" Calvin asked.

    Esdras''s eyebrows furrowed, although it looked like nothing happened, he was able to notice it.

    There was a strange feeling about these moves, like a synchronization that made each consecutive strike harder than the first and more impactful.

    It was like¡­ a technique! No, it was more like a pseudo-technique, one that has not formed yet.

    "How did you think of this? Actually how did you do it?" Esdras was very interested and asked.

    "Aha, it''s not a big deal, I just thought about what you said back then. And I thought about how I could improve, so one day while I was training I had an idea!"

    "I remembered how the mages have their spells and all that, I thought that maybe we too can do something simr. First let me ask you, how do you use your Vigor?"

    Esdras thought back to how he fought back in the dungeon and answered honestly, "I just channel it to my arms just as I am about to make a strong attack."

    "Exactly!" Calvin nodded excitedly, "but have you ever thought that''s wrong? Well, not wrong but not exactly right either?"

    "Can you get to the point, you can bragter." Esdras shook his head in exasperation.

    "Fine, fine, what I''m trying to say is, what if we rotate the Vigor and when you attack in the first move channel small bursts of it throughout the body, increasing the amount with each move."

    Esdras felt like a thunderbolt hit him from the clear sky. He just thought about the higher realms and pure power but that was not all there was to consider.

    Thinking about it from that perspective, level 4 apprentice mages could already use a few cantrips at least, True mages didn''t just have more mana, they could use true spells.

    So, why not Vigor knights?

 Chapter 28 Escalating Tension

    Esdras thought about it and deduced that this line of thought was right, but this path of creating techniques was simply too difficult.

    Walking on a path that has been well known and proven was much easier than carving a brand new path from nothing but imagination.

    It was something that did not only need talented men but also a long time of umtion. Esdras only had a grade 1 Martial talent, it was very good but it wasn''t enough to make the impossible true.

    Training his vigor was always a way for him to obtain a means of self-protection. It was also a good method to cover up for the ssic weakness of mages.

    Ultimately, it was just a method to buy time, he wasn''t willing to invest Origin points into it.

    "You''re doing it wrong." Esdras said in the end, "this is a good way of thinking and you should not give up on it, but right now you can''t unleash that power because of the inflexibility of your vigor."

    "Inflexible?" Calvin repeated, "I don''t understand¡­"

    "What is the source of vigor?" Esdras asked.

    "¡­.it''s the body, after training for a long time and breaking through the limits, one''s own body starts releasing vigor."

    "Correct, now don''t you think that you''ve been neglecting physical training in favor of vigor? At the same time, ironically that is the reason why you also see no improvement in vigor."

    Calvin''s eyes widened, "don''t tell me, you figured out a way¡­?"

    "Yes, indeed. It''s not a sure thing but I can say with confidence that it''s a valid way forward."

    Esdras didn''t mind telling Calvin his findings, he didn''t want to be the type of man who forgets favors. Perhaps he was giving back more than he received but he didn''t mind.

    "You gave me your breathing technique and a sword that saved my life multiple times since then, consider this my repayment."

    Calvin had a difficult look on his face, "no this is too much. I have already sworn my loyalty to the king, but if one day you call upon me then my sword shall be yours in any matter."

    Esdrasughed, "well, lets hope that day neveres. I am a mage after all, I will have to count on you to expand the path of Vigor knights in the future alright?"

    "If I find something you will be the first to know of any news regarding that."

    Esdras was happy to make a new friend, when all of this is done maybe they could have a drink. Then he moved on to look for an empty ce to practice that move that Calvin showed him.

    He didn''t want to draw any attention in the training grounds, his true capabilities must not be carelessly revealed, especially with Robert and his goons around.

    As he was walking about the fort he happened to see the three True mages from the tower, they were talking with a mysterious cloaked figure.

    They were in a deste area of the fort and he was very far, he couldn''t see the face of the hooded person. He tried to use his [Third eye] but he was too far.

    Suddenly senior Ron looked around and frowned.

    Esdras was already gone, he sensed that he might have seen something he shouldn''t have so after his attempt to use the [Third eye] failed due to the distance, he quickly pulled out of there.

    Time passed and night fell, the apprentices were called to a meeting by the True mages.

    Esdras was one of them, he had a feeling that this had something to do with what he saw today.

    "I have called you here for an important notice, you will be deployed to the forest once again tomorrow. Your task is still to suppress the monsters within the area that you are assigned to, you can return to take a break in the fort on the weekends."

    At these words there was amotion, whispering and a bit of dissatisfaction among the apprentices.

    "Senior, I wonder why the sudden change of ns." One of the level 4 apprentices asked.

    "The situation had changed, that is all." Senior Ron was clearly unwilling to disclose anymore information. This was just an order that they were supposed to follow.

    Esdras didn''t say anything, it''s not like he could have done anything in particr. He just felt that an ominous atmosphere has begun to spread.

    ****

    Celine was feeling a myriad of emotions that she couldn''t even know how to decipher.

    The house of Varthos was once a distinguished noble family, with the rank of Earl. They were known for their long history and their military exploits in the Vast grasnds.

    For nobles of this high standing, the personal maids were trained from birth to serve their masters in all things. Apanying them in bed was a given.

    In most cases nobles first experience was with their personal maids, that was intentional. In politics, the men of such high standing must not be easily swayed by women.

    That''s why they must develop a resistance to their charms.

    Celine was the same, ever since she was born serving Esdras was her duty, to her it was more important than her life.

    So when Esdras was sent to the mage tower she naturally followed. However, unexpectedly her master had no talent.

    However he couldn''t get back to the territory either, without passing the Rite of passage it was impossible.

    So when she was found to have talent she vowed to use her talent to make her master''s life easier and find a way to safely protect him during the Rite of passage and then they could go back home.

    That was her n.

    But then something unexpected happened, her master changed. He became like apletely different person. His body and mind changed in what feels like a blink.

    He became easygoing, confident and fearless. Honestly before this day, she was never attracted to him as a man, but today, she felt her heart beating against her ribs.

    She was sneaking around to Esdras''s room in the dead of the night.

 Chapter 29 The Maid (1) R18

    Celine trembled as she sneaked through the hallways, from the windows she could see the torchlight which allowed her to moved fairly easily.

    She could glimpse some soldiers patrolling outside, after all this is still a war.

    She was extremely nervous but fortunately she was very close to Esdras''s room, she just needed to turn twice in the hallway. This thought brought her a sense of peace as she walked over.

    "AHHA-"

    Suddenly she was grabbed, she was about to scream but one hand shut her mouth and the other held her in ce. It was a man judging by that strength alone.

    She tried to struggle but it was futile, her frail arms and small body inparison with that man were nothing. The man''s body pressed against hers from behind.

    She had to do something and quickly, she wanted to bite his hand but her body was frozen in fear, she didn''t know what to do, tears threatened to fall out of her eyes.

    "Hey, don''t scream or else¡­ you will wake everyone up." The owner of the voice whispered behind her ominously.

    Wait, that voice¡­

    "Esdras!" As soon as he let her go she called out loudly.

    Esdras facepalmed, "it''s like you didn''t even hear me¡­ gosh, let''s go quickly, I assume you don''t want people to see you dressed like this?"

    Celine was still in shock and embarrassment, she looked at her get-up, it was a see-through lingerie that she prepared for this night.

    Realizing that Celine was a bit of a klutz he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along until they were safely in his room.

    Celine breathed a sigh of relief, that was way too dangerous. Suddenly she noticed that Esdras was looking at her body with an intense gaze like he was about to eat her.

    It couldn''t be helped, her purple hair and amber eyes weren''t the only beautiful thing about her, she always tried to hide her body with long robes but even then it was impossible.

    So when her body was unleashed and even enhanced with the lingerie her charm turned from cute to seductive and inviting.

    Under that look she didn''t know what to do and didn''t dare to look Esdras in the eye, she looked down and around but her nipples hardened under that look and her heart was beating fast this time for a different reason.

    *Cough!*

    "So, what were you doing back there?" Esdras coughed and asked after he regained hisposure which was not an easy task.

    "Eh? I was¡­ing here?" Celine answered feeling slightly confused.

    "In that?" Esdras asked while rolling his eyes.

    "I wore it for¡­ tonight¡­" Celine answered feelings slightly hurt.

    "I know that silly, but why didn''t you wear something over it? Do you have any idea what might have happened if another man bumped into you wearing this?"

    "I¡­ I didn''t think of that¡­ don''t be mad¡­" Celine realized her fault, there was no other exnation, she was just nervous and didn''t think much about it.

    However, upon hearing these words Esdras''s face darkened even more, "don''t be mad? Of course I''m mad. Do you think men will be rational if they saw you in this outfit? I don''t want other men to see you like this."

    Although Celine knew she was being admonished but she felt moved and happy instead of sorry after hearing these words.

    "¡­ what''s with that dumb smile?" However Esdras was not impressed by her reaction.

    Celine realized that she was in trouble but her words remained stuck in her throat as Esdras pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear.

    "Or, maybe¡­ did you want to get caught?"

    His voice sent shivers down her spine, " what¡­ I would never-"

    "Silence you naughty maid!" Esdras hand sneaked to her ass and spanked her causing her to yelp and her hard nipples brushed against his hardened muscles.

    Celine felt like a current of pleasure passed through her, and even more as his hands started caressing her ass. The other found their way to her left breast and fondled it.

    His hand kneaded her soft orb gently, at first and then a little roughly, then he pinched her nipple. At that point a tantalizing moan escaped Celine''s mouth.

    "Master.."

    Esdras almost lost all rationality there and then but he quickly pulled himself back together. Slowly, slowly.

    Then with a quick movement Celine was on the bed and underneath him, he kissed her slowly, his tongue invading her mouth wit every kiss.

    His hands were busy ying with his nipples, which he had realized were her weak spot. She reacted with almost every touch.

    Celine was so immersed that it took her a while to realize her top was removed, when Esdras was about to remove her underwear she closed her knees.

    "Uh, can, can you put out the candles?" She asked meekly.

    Esdrasughed at her innocent request, "no way, I want to see all of you properly, and I want you to see me too."

    However, since he noticed that she was still nervous he decided to remove his cloths first since being the only one naked made it easy to be self-conscious.

    Celine watched his sculpted body in awe and swallowed down, when he removed hisst piece of clothing she saw the half wake sword.

    "Can I¡­"

    Before she finished her question he already took her hand and ced it on his little brother.

    "Now, don''t worry, just follow your instincts." He instructed and she followed in fascination and arousal both at once.

    The sleeping dragon began to swell within her tender hands; its mass quickly expanded beyond her grasp while throbbing with incredible power. Seeing its full form, Celine began to slowly caress the towering rod in disbelief. Its veiny surface felt rough and rigid, its heat was almost burning through her skin.

    Her eyes were beginning to shine with a strange fervid light, her cheeks red with a spreading blush.

 Chapter 30 The Maid (2) R18

    Celine looked at the male organ in nervousness, she had heard that it hurt the first time, so she was a bit afraid despite her brave front.

    But she couldn''t stop now, she swallowed down some saliva as she watched the bulging veins of the fat rod throbbing. The smell too was intoxicating, her hands stroked the shaft back and forth.

    "That''s good, that''s good. You''re doing great."

    Celine beamed at the praise she heard, unknowingly her panties were stained with her love juices and as she yed with that thing, her knees began to twist and rub against each other.

    Esdras smiled at this disy, she was clumsy at best but that earnest effort felt pretty good, however it was not enough.

    He stopped Celine, lifted her chin up and kissed her, sweat had begun to appear on their bodies due to their intwined bodies. But he didn''t stop the kiss.

    After a while, Celine began to feel out of breath, she tried to move her mouth away but he pressed forward and sucked fiercely at her tongue and saliva. She tried to struggle but the kiss brought her a pleasure so great that her body turned into mush.

    "Pant, pant...." Celine panted fiercely once their mouths separated. She was looking at him with tears in her eyes and a blushing expression.

    "Master ..." She stared at him seductively before lowering her head in embarrassment.

    Seeing that expression, he felt his blood burning inside of him. Unable to endure the desire, he lifted her off the bed for a moment and slipped underneath her, her back was now resting on his chest.

    "Kya!" Celine shouted in surprise, but he immediately sealed her lips with another kiss. Celine opened her eyes wide when she felt his mouth again.

    This kiss didn''tst for long, he moved her slightly to the side and sucked on her enraged nipple eliciting moans from her.

    In that moment his left hand sneaked into her panties and captured her not-so-secret ce, there he found thend very wet and a very red clit peaking out. He pinched it.

    Immediately Celine went through an intense orgasm her body basically spasmed, that movement took Esdras by surprise and her big and soft ass wriggled on his dick giving him a nice service.

    But, this maid¡­ she was a virgin but she still came a little too fast. This served only to awaken his sadistic side.

    He continued sucking on her nipples until she calmed down, her long purple hair now in aplete mess.

    "So, my little Celine is a pervert, you''re a little too sensitive. Maybe you touch yourself when you''re alone?"

    Celine''s ears turned red, she tried to look away but he didn''t allow her, "master¡­" she whined, pitifully with tears at the corner of her eyes.

    Her tears were powerful but it had the opposite effect on Esdras making him only more intent on teasing her.

    "Answer me." He ordered.

    Realizing that there was no escaping she closed her eyes and said, "s-sometimes¡­ when I''m training myself¡­ to be with you¡­"

    "For me?" Esdras rolled his eyes, his hand went to her dripping pussy once again and found her clit, "that''s a bare-faced lie! You did it because you''re a lewd maid and wanted to feel good, admit it!"

    "Noo~ master¡­ don''t make me say it¡­" Celine pleaded but one look at Esdras''s cold eyes told her that she couldn''t get out of it, interestingly enough her pussy swelled further and her juices flowed once again.

    "I¡­ I did it because, I am a perverted lewd maid who just wants feel good!"

    Esdras grinned at her admission and as a reward he inserted his index finger into her inviting pussy, causing yet another orgasm to erupt within Celine.

    After she calmed down, he took his finger out, it waspletely covered in love nectar.

    "Tsk, tsk, not only are you an unrepentant pervert but you actually dirtied my finger, here clean it up."

    Without giving her time to think he shoved it in her slightly open mouth, she didn''t even think about it she just started sucking. Not that she could think anymore.

    "Looks like you have a talent for sucking, but like with any talent we have to develop it properly."

    Celine was now sitting in between his open legs, gazing at his meat rod, "now take it gently and suck on it, start by licking it from the base to the tip, slowly, don''t be scared." He ordered.

    Esdras rested his head on several pillows, this way he could see everything clearly.

    Celine wasn''t sure how to do it exactly but she was past the point of thinking, this was the time for action.

    "Ooh" Esdras let out a noise of pleasure and surprise. She actually started licking his balls without being told.

    Her head lowered until she got a good look at his balls, she didn''t know what he meant when he said ''start at the base'' so she just followed her instincts.

    Her long red tongue twisted and coated his ballsack with saliva, then she sucked on one ball after another individually, gently and savoring the salty taste.

    She gained confidence at hearing Esdras''s grunts and then she moved her tongue along the shaft slowly back and forth making sure to make it as wet as possible.

    The most difficult was the huge bulbous head but after a few tries she got it in her mouth, the white precum gave it a strange taste but the approving gaze she got from Esdras made her think that it wasn''t so bad.

    "Alright, now take it in, as much as you can."

    Celine obeyed and started swallowing themanding rod down. When she thought she did good she looked Esdras for conformation but he shook his head.

    "You can do better."

    With these words she began another round, with her incredible determination she managed to take more than half, it was also because she started feeling good herself.

    "That''s good, now go back and forth faster, faster."

    With her saliva dripping everywhere it was a delicious mess, when suddenly she felt it growing bigger and expanding in her mouth, and then¡­

    the rod began to tremble violently and the bulky orbs below painfully expanded in size.

    As clumps of obscene bulges traveled across the member, thick ropes of cum were shot out from the orifice with high impulse right in to her mouth.

    Celine, taken back tried to pull out but a strong hand grasped her head and pushed it down further instead. The amount was too great, and the cum shot right into her throat.

    Celine''s throat hurt a bit and after a while she pulled back, he didn''t pressure her too much. Some droplets of cum fell on his crotch. She panted heavily, out of breath.

    "You did great!" Esdras praised, Celine who was slightly aggrieved felt very proud and happy.

    "Now clean what you missed so we can move on to the main act."

    Celine blushed but went to work nheless, she scooped up every drop she missed and Esdras then flipped her underneath him and opened her legs in the missionary position.

    He slowly positioned his little brother towards her moist cave, but didn''t enter immediately, he moved it up and down caressing her entrance and giving her signals of pleasure.

    Celine moaned again and bit her lower lips which gave her a seductive look. "Don''t tease me anymore¡­"

    Celine opened her eyes wide when she felt something invading her. She hugged him tightly and tensed her body, so he stopped.

    He then caressed her body softly to rx her and continued kissing her neck and sucking her nipples, he also noticed a mole between her boobs. When her body rxed again, He continued entering.

    Celine moaned in pain and pleasure, and twisted her bodyfortably. He continued pleasuring her body while entering slowly at her cave. Then, He felt something obstructing him.

    Immediately he broke through it, then advanced further until only half an inch remained outside, Celine wriggled in pain and pleasure the whole time.

    He slowly pulled out until just the head remained in and then he thrust back in, slowly, again and again until Celine''s moans filled the room and almost drove Esdras crazy.

    He couldn''t control himself anymore and increased the speed, the two of thempletely lost themselves in that pleasure.

    Their moans and breaths filled the room and the sweet smell of their sweat mixed with love nectar filled their lungs.

    Esdras move deven faster and at some point he felt Celine tightly squeezed his cock, her left hand grabbed the sheets of the bed and the other to grab his back, her nails couldn''t pierce his skin but it did stimte him.

    "Something¡­ something ising¡­ master¡­ master~"

    He hugged her shoulders and pressed her down and she twitched madly and cummed.

    Her cave contracted and squeezed increasing his pleasure a hundred times, he thrusted a few times then quickly pulled out and came on her pussy painting it in white.

    Heid down besides her and she made way for him, resting her head on his chest, he pulled the cover and they both fell asleep.

 Chapter 31 Talent And Buzzing From The Forest

    Celine woke up due to some unknown noise and in her hazy state she didn''t know where she was.

    "Hey, it''s almost time, get up." She heard Esdras''s voice again, this time she heard it clearly and remembered where she was.

    "W-what time is it?" She asked embarrassedly, she wrapped the nket around her body tightly as if Esdras hadn''t already seen everything yesterday.

    Esdras chuckled at her actions, "it''s almo dawn,e let''s take a quick wash so you can get back to your room and wear something decent."

    Celine hesitantly got up and saw that a bathtub with steaming water was already prepared, Esdras was in his underwear holding onto a sponge and some towels.

    She remembered her blunder from yesterday, why she didn''t think of bringing any clothes with her hadpletely eluded her.

    "Wait, who brought the bath water?" Celine asked.

    "Hm? Oh, it was the servants, they were already up and about so I call some over and that''s how." Esdras nonchntly replied.

    "S-servants? They didn''t see¡­ they didn''t see me right?"

    "Oh, no no they didn''t rx. I only called women here anyway."

    "They brought it in but didn''t see me?" Celine had a hard time understanding exactly how that happened.

    "Well, I meant they didn''t see your body, they probably saw your face¡­"

    Celine covered her face in shame.

    "Stop dwelling on it and get in the tub quickly." Esdras rolled his eyes and headed in first, Celine followed in shortly after.

    Esdras took this chance to use the [Third eye] on Celine.

    Name: Celine

    Rank: 1

    ss: Apprentice mage lv. 4

    Physique: 1

    Agility: 1

    Intelligence: 3

    Spirituality: 3

    Mana: 3

    Wind maniption Lv.1, Wind conjuration Lv.1, Wind weapon Lv.1, Wind cuter Lv.1, Water maniption Lv.1, Water conjuration Lv.1, Fog cloud Lv.1, Acid ssh Lv.1

    ??:??

    What?! Esdras was surprised that Celine was attempting to be a dual elemental mage. Moreover there was even something that he couldn''t see.

    And what does Rank mean? It was the first time he saw that stat. Oh that''s right, he leveled up the [Third eye] yesterday and didn''t check out the new changes because he was busy.

    "Hey, why didn''t you tell me that you engraved two elemental sigils?" Esdras directly asked.

    Celine was of course surprised, "eh? H-how did you know that?¡­ I tried to tell you but you always ignore me¡­ it was Miss ra, she told me that I could go for it and that she wanted to take me in as her disciple."

    "Really? Hmm, that''s good then." Actually Esdras didn''t know who this ra was, she should be a Great mage from the brown tower.

    "More importantly, why didn''t you use magic yesterday when you didn''t know that it was me?" Esdras frowned.

    "Ah, I didn''t¡­ I don''t know, I was frozen and scared and¡ª"

    "Okay, I got it. But that''s not eptable! When you''re in danger you have to keep in mind that your safety is the most important."

    "But firing magic in such a close range, it''s too hard." Celineined.

    Her words were reasonable, Celine only knew cantrips not true spells as she was still just a mage apprentice, but that way of thinking just won''t do.

    However, Celine simply didn''t train her physique and it was impossible for her to start and get immediate results like Esdras.

    "Fine, I will get you a magic item to protect yourself." Esdras sighed, he hoped that the dungeon''s next floor had better loot.

    "A magic item? If you find such an item you must keep it to protect yourself." Celine had no intention to get such a thing even if it was almost impossible to get a magic item in the first ce.

    "Forget it, I already made my decision, you can''t change my mind. Nowe on, let''s take you to your room quickly."

    Esdras was not going to argue, especially on something he didn''t have yet.

    Esdras took Celine back to her room, she was wearing one of his long hooded cloaks to hide that she was wearing nothing underneath.

    The trip ended without incident, some timeter breakfast was served, and Celine, David and Esdras ate together.

    "I can''t believe you stood up to Robert, these changes happened too fast don''t you think?" David was ring daggers jealously at the flirting copule.

    "I always thought he was all bark and no bite, he''s just a coward!" Esdras answered loudly enough that all those in the hall heard him.

    Robert who was not too far away shook with rage, Sam, his right hand man was about to get up and start beating Esdras right now but Robert made him sit back down.

    "Why don''t we teach this bastard a lesson? He just got a little talker and now he thinks he can walk all over us?" Sam was clearly not the type to bottle his anger.

    "Shut up for now? Do you think I''m just going to let him get away with it?" Hissed Robert back at Sam.

    "Anyway," Esdras said, "what''s your problem David? If looks could kill I would have died a dozen times."

    "I''m jealous, obviously!" David clenched his fists, "when can I get a girlfriend too."

    "I''m afraid I can''t help you with that, you need the right¡­ looks, heheh." Esdras joked.

    "If it''s just looks then it will be solved when I be a True mage then." David smirked.

    Although True mages don''t get an extended life span, they do have many perks besides the high social status and personal power.

    Their looks get enhanced, not all mages be good looking per say, but all of them be better looking than they originally were. And when they get to their prime their aging stops.

    That''s why most mages look like they were in their early orte twenties. They begin to age when they approach the end of their life spans.

    When they were all about to move out of the fort, Esdras heard a buzzing sound, it was faint at first but soon it grew louder and louder and a minuteter everyone in the fort could hear it.

    It wasing from the forest and in the direction of the fort.

 Chapter 32 Beginning Of Hell

    Everyone in the fort looked to the source of the noise collectively. From the previously quite forest a chaotic wind blew out bringing departures to a halt.

    Esdras nudged Celine, "don''t space out, we''re not far from the fort, we should retreat."

    "But we don''t even know what that is¡­" Celine was clearly out of her mind.

    "Do we have to know what it is? It''s dangerous and that''s enough for me,dy. Now move it, if it''s not a big deal we can tell them we forgot something¡­ oh, wait."

    "Don''t panic, stay where you are." Senior Ron''s voice boomed from above the gate of the fort.

    Esdras cursed under his breath, don''t move? That was not good news. He had to think of something but he didn''t have time.

    They appeared.

    From the forest they flew above the tree canopies and revealed themselves.

    Stirge Lv.1

    This horrid monster looks like a cross between arge bat and mosquito. It''s legs end in sharp pincers and its long, needle-like proboscis shes the air as it seeks to feed on the blood of living creatures.

    It was just a weak Lv.1 monster, only there were hundreds of them. This is a very easy monster if it was alone, however it moves in packs and usually terrorized the countryside.

    Esdras bit his lips but otherwise didn''t move, it was an order that he didn''t want to risk disobeying, especially when he was right under the fort.

    "[Gust]"

    With that word green winds swirled and pushed the monsters swarm back, strangely enough it seemed like only the Strige swarm was affected by the wind.

    "[Wind Cage] [Gale slicer]"

    The green wind formed a sphere around the Striges at once, the Striges were trapped. There was a centrifugal force at the center of the sphere that forced the Stirges to converge.

    No matter how much they pped their disgusting wings they were unable to free themselves. Suddenly from various points green des of wind shot at the Stirges randomly.

    The wind des were only as big as a palm but they cut through the monsters with fearsome easy. When the des dissipated, more were unleashed until the wind cage disappeared.

    With that hundreds of sliced up bodies fell in a pool of disgusting flesh and blood.

    Esdras and the rest of the apprentices stood, rooted in awe and fear. No, not just them, even the soldiers in the fort had the same reaction.

    This is the power of a True mage, with only three spells he got rid of a disaster for them. So, effortlessly. At least it looked like that.

    "Go on then, don''t ck off. The sub tower master is looking forward to your achievements, apprentices." Ron said.

    "[me tongue]"

    With that another one of the True mages besides Ron, pointed his finger and a whip of fire burned the corpses of the monsters asunder.

    In fact this was not much of a disy, it was just a casual gesture that just annoyed the mages slightly.

    "Did you see that spell? The wind cage, ever heard of it?" Celine whispered.

    "No, you won''t find it either. It''s been changed, probably by Ron himself. The original spell should be [Warding winds]." Esdras replied.

    "Ah, no wonder many people say that he''s likely to be a Great mage in the next twenty years." Celine nodded, looking impressed.

    "Really? Why?" Esdras didn''t know anything about that.

    "You didn''t know? Some rumors say that he has a great mana capacity, maybe he already has the same mana quantity as a Great mage¡­"

    Now that she mentioned it, Esdras recalled seeing that Ron''s mana stat was significantly higher than everything else.

    It wasn''t just that, what really stood out to Esdras was how each spellplimented the other to create the greatest possible efficiency.

    Esdras and the others separated into their original groups and ten soldiers. The number of soldiers was increased and they were give a wagonload of equipment and supplies tost a week.

    Bran, Tara and Theo were extremely nervous, they stole nces at Esdras from time to time. Esdras pretended not to notice, he wanted them squirming. Not knowing what he might do to them or when.

    Hehehe, to be honest they had good reason to be wary, after all, Esdras just had to find a random reason toin to senior Ron and then they would have to suffer the Ironfrost cell.

    The Ironfrost cell, was a cell ced in a magical cier in the tower, cold water permeates through deliberate holes and losing a limb to frostbite was not unusual. It onlysts for a few hours but it was still a punishment worse than death.

    When they arrived in the area they followed Esdras''s instructions and made their way to the copsed cave. This is when he gave his first order.

    "Okay, set up my tent here, I want it attached to this cave."

    The soldiers and the apprentices didn''t know why Esdras would give such a weird order but they didn''t have the right to ask questions.

    The soldiers started taking out the equipment from the wagon, meanwhile Bran and the others were about to take a break.

    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" Esdras''s cold voice stopped them in their tracks.

    "Ah, we just wanted to take a break and drink some water, that''s all." Theo said.

    Esdras didn''t reply, instead he looked at the soldiers who already started carrying the equipment and said, "put these things down, you soldiers have done enough, why don''t you take a break?"

    "You can''t mean¡ª"

    "Yes, I do mean that you guys will make my tent." Esdras smirked.

    "What? But we''re members of the mage tower, we''re the¡ª"

    "You don''t want to do it? Fine, I don''t like to force people to to do anything¡­ although I wonder if senior Ron would be as forgiving as I?" Esdras shook his head.

    "F-fine, it''s just a tent." Bran snorted.

    "That''s the spirit." Esdras pped happily, "oh, also, if I don''t like it you will have to adjust it to my satisfaction. A fair warning though, I am a hard man to please."

    With the sound of that eerieugh, Tara and Bran knew that this was only the beginning of their hellish lives under this tyrant.

 Chapter 33 The Second Floor

    On that first day Esdras had them build and rebuild the tent five times. Admittedly he was going out of his way to be a dick.

    But¡­

    These guys were actually trash, they messed it up more than Esdras even expected. Thest two time he himself was getting fed up with them.

    Naturally these pampered kids never had to do suchbour before in their lives, especially after entering the mage tower.

    So by nighttime they werepletely exhausted, but Esdras did not have an ounce of mercy for them.

    "Who told you to sit on your assess? Go and help the soldiers set-up a perimeter around the camp!"

    By this time Esdras had cleaned up the dinner that was prepared by the soldiers and was rubbing his tummy, satisfied.

    The three of the gave him death res and went about their work. When they were done, Esdras gave them a final warning.

    "Take turns on night watch and tomorrow we will scout the area for the monsters, good night."

    Esdras enjoyed his spacious tent along with the fact that his enemies suffered by his hands today.

    Is this what it feels to enact justice? No wonder it felt good.

    With that, Esdras sat down and reorganized his thoughts. His n was to simply do the job assigned to him while secretly clearing the dungeon.

    But how should he do that exactly? The work outside was important, if he messed up he could get on the True mages bad side. That was something he hoped to avoid.

    So, he couldn''t neglect it, but working all day meant that he won''t have time to clear the dungeon. Fortunately, he had some no-good kids he could relegate this work to.

    He just needed to show his face and give orders from time to time.

    Having settled on a n Esdras activated the Dungeon mark on his left hand and disappeared silently from the tent.

    He opened his eyes and found himself in the boss room of the first floor. He could see the huge door and the purple light vortex.

    Teleportation. It was actually real. Esdras was actually in disbelief, it was something that humanity on Earth was nowhere close to achieving yet he experienced it himself here.

    Well, he did get a divine shard and transmigrated to a different world but still he was awed. Teleportation was not a type of magic that existed even in this magical world.

    With his new spiked mace in toe he looked around the room and walked over to the second floor''s door, with a light push the door opened wide.

    He knew-thanks to his title-that the monsters in this dungeon will respawn in thirty days after being killed.

    This was a one instance dungeon, meaning that if someone entered it after him they will enter the same dungeon itself.

    Meaning that they won''t have to clear the first floor as he already did that, this feature can be taken advantage of easily.

    This left a bad taste in his mouth, he did not like doing work for free.

    Either way, there was another important fact about the dungeons in this world, the grade of the dungeon. After a dungeon is cleared for the first time it will go down one grade.

    Meaning that the level of monsters and loot will fall along with it. This was a another incentive to clear the dungeon as soon as possible.

    But, Esdras was not blinded by greed, his life was his most important possession. If he could clear the dungeon quickly then great but if he couldn''t then he wasn''t going to regret it.

    The second floor was a valley in between two mountain cliffs, he could actually see the sky and the sun along with chirping of birds and animals ying in the woods.

    Esdras walked out of a door attached to one mountain cliff in a very natural way, as if the mountain was built that way. And yet that was exactly what made it abnormal.

    He didn''t know what was going on anymore, was this still inside the dungeon? It was nighttime outside. Was he teleported to a different ce in the world?

    Obviously that was a real possibility, but he didn''t think that he left the dungeon at all. Something simr happened when he fought the ghoul in that swamp.

    The woods in the valley were not alone, they grew around ancient buildings. As he walked in, he saw the remains of these ancient buildings scattered everywhere.

    The ruin implied that there was some kind of civilization here at some point, it was a good setting, the vibe was nicely done.

    Esdras peered into one of the broken buildings and saw that it waspletely empty from the inside so he jumped over the broken wall and entered.

    There was only some old vases and mold and dust, overgrown with vines and pests.

    Esdras grabbed one of the vases and threw it down, breaking it in the process. There was nothing inside, not even some coins.

    Abruptly he tried to jump to the side but he was a step toote. A giant spiked tongue broke through the wall of the building and mmed into his back stabbing him.

    Esdras''s crashed into the opposite wall but he wasn''t hurt too badly, so instead of worrying about that he took a step back and dashed to the monster that ambushed him.

    [Giant toad Lv.2]

    It stood bigger than two meters and had a thick dark green hide all over it''s body.

    With incredible speed Esdras crossed that distance and the wind cried with a swing of his mace. The giant toad was a swift monster despite it''s size but it still couldn''t react in time.

    The mace smashed it''s head in, the spikes of the mace tearing it''s skin and flesh at once with savage might. It crumbled down.

    Esdras breathed deeply, just now to stop the giant toad from fleeing he had to use vigor to increase his speed. As usual he stared to open up the monster when he felt a sharp pain assaulting his nerves.

    His left shoulder was shot with an arrow.

 Chapter 34 Undercurrents

    Esdras rolled over the body of the giant toad and made a run for it, when he was back in the cover of the woods he crouched down and took the arrow out.

    [+22 EXP]

    That EXP was from the giant toad. It looks like it was not the same value across all monsters of the same level.

    He did not know where the archer was, he was in a bad spot. The archer might be at that pyramid-like building at the end of the valley.

    It was too far for a mortal archer, if he was on Earth he wouldn''t even consider it, only a modern sniper could make that shot. But in this world it was possible for an archer who had superhuman strength to do it.

    But, even then, was it really from that far up there? He had no clue, it was just a hunch, he didn''t think so. While thinking about that he took one of his heath potions to heal his shoulder.

    He calmed down, rxed his muscles and breathed slowly. He kept hiding, wherever it may be it might reveal itself to him on it''s own.

    After an excruciatingly long amount of time in which Esdras debated on just moving out to test the waters he finally heard a noise.

    *whoosh*

    Something was moving very quickly and disturbed the wind, at such an event Esdras quickly dashed out and dodged an arrow that almost skewered him alive.

    He got a glimpse at his foe, it was clinging to the top of one of the ruins upside down as if it didn''t feel the gravity. It was a pallid thing that watched him with bulbous, madness filled eyes and mouth filled with flesh-hungry teeth.

    [Ageruus creeper Lv.3]

    It was like a monkey gone wrong with that human-like face and build, of course it had no skin and elongated ws for limbs. How it uses a bow was a mystery.

    Esdras knew right away that it was too far and he wouldn''t be able to make it before it increases the distance again, so in a sh of brilliance or stupidity he hurled his own mace at it.

    It must have been caught off guard because it froze in ce, but the mace didn''t get a direct hit. Instead it shattered the already fragile ruined building and caused it to copse.

    Esdras sprinted to the scene and kicked the monster in the gut. It had somehow not been crushed under the rubble. Fortunately Esdras had an extra weapon, a dagger.

    He slit it''s throat at once.

    [+35 EXP]

    Using the same dagger he opened it up and a chest appeared after it exploded without hurting him.

    [Eye of Ageruus creeper]: amon grade item, by imbuing one of the eyes with personal mana, it is possible to use it to observe and even transmit sound in the area surrounding the other pair.

    Very good, this item might not seem like it was powerful but it could be very useful for spying.

    The giant toad gave out two health potions.

    Although he would have liked to continue he already spent too much time here. If he wasn''t wrong then it was almost sunrise by now.

    He had no choice but to retreat to the first floor and return to the tent. Seeing that he was right he hurried to sleep for whatever time he could.

    Unfortunately he closed his eyes for what felt like a moment when he heard amotion outside his tent and the sun was shining on him brightly.

    Feeling sore everywhere he decided to find some way to organize his time properly. Doing things like this won''t do him any good.

    The new day began and Esdras lead thepany to scout on this day without doing much else.

    He them verified the findings and frowned, the goblins have settled here too quickly. It was very weird. Even if they were eyeing this territory before it was still too abrupt.

    "Sir, it''s as you''ve guess, the other areas are saying the same things." One of the soldiers reported at sunset.

    Esdras had sent him to check on the situation in the other areas, it was not likely that their team alone almost exterminated the monsters, others must have done something simr.

    And yet, other monsters from the depth of the forest have immediately taken the ce of the old ones. It was inexplicable. If it happened once then it was a coincidence but more than that¡­

    Anyway he just had to do his job and suppress the monsters quietly, the moreplicated things can be left to the True mages.

    But¡­ taking some precautions was never wrong.

    In the next few days Esdras didn''t go back to the dungeon instead he lead the team to suppress the goblins in the area.

    He made sure to instruct them not to go too far in killing the goblins, they were to kill three out of five and let two go as a general rule.

    Bran and the others were baffled by these rules but they knew better than to question him. Actually they were even more baffled that Esdras didn''t mess with them as much as they thought he would.

    The first week was almost over and other than some strange orders and a little bit of hard work he didn''t do much. So them met in the woods and talked in secret after everyone went to sleep.

    "Hey, isn''t it weird that he didn''t do anything to us?" Theo asked.

    "To be honest I also felt that it was strange, on the first day he seemed hellbent on taking revenge." Agreed Bran.

    "What are you even surprised about? He''s still that pathetic loser Esdras did you forget? Just because he got a little taller doesn''t mean anything!" Hissed Tara.

    "If I had that kind of authority I would have already taken revenge but he''s just spineless, as usual. Hahaha. Remember that one time when we made him crawl out of the ss?"

    Everyoneughed in mockery. Just because Esdras didn''t abuse them they felt that he was a pushover.

 Chapter 35 Dreams End

    On thest night of the week, Esdras was not sleeping nor was he in the dungeon, he was meditating.

    His spirit body was carefully monitoring thepletion of the neswalker symbol and the fire element sigil.

    That''s right, this was thest day of this process. Of course he still had to engrave the remaining three elemental sigils but it can be said that he took the first step in that direction.

    When his vast spiritual energy finally finished thest touches, he bore witness to a wonderful scene.

    The neswalker symbol started shining and he felt like it was familiar to him and yet also alien. The strand of blue light connecting it with the fire sigil grew twice as much.

    His sea of consciousness started twisting areas the two, it was slow and didn''t harm him. But it was the first time he saw something like this nor was he aware of any records talking about anything simr.

    He didn''t feel any different so he wasn''t sure how to feel about that. Anyway, as of now he was a level 2 mage apprentice.

    Obviously he couldn''t do much but at least he could now unleash his spiritual energy outside to stun ordinary people. It was the only trick level 2 apprentice mages could do.

    However, this was only the first step he had to start from the low ces to reach the high mountains.

    Despite being in a hurry he forced himself not to rush, he started engraving the cores of each of the remaining three elemental sigils.

    After that the light of the neswalker symbol extended to them and outlined the advanced version of each sigil, like it did with the fire sigil.

    Having done that he was shocked at how smoothly the engraving process was going, it was like the spiritual energy had no weight.

    The engraving speed doubled, at this rate it was will take five or six days for for all three of them to be done! And he was doing all three at the same time, this didn''t make sense.

    There was some kind synchronization between his spiritual energy and sea of consciousness.

    By then he could advance to level 3 and then he was just going to use the system to get to level 4 at once, if he had enough EXP he wouldn''t mind going straight to True mage.

    It was bound to cause an uproar if the True mages found out. He should keep it a secret before going through the Rite of passage but if he couldn''t then he would take care of it at that time.

    If keeping it a secret proved too much of a hassle then he could care less about it. He was going to reveal his talent anyway during the Rite of passage.

    He wanted to show his talent off to attract the attention of one of the Master mages of the Octarine tower. By bing a disciple of any one of them his status would rise to the sky itself.

    He did not n to hide his talents and abilities for long, he wanted to reveal just enough to get his n in motion. Hiding it forever was unnecessary and revealing everything was stupid so he chose something in between.

    More importantly, that would mean he could get ess to any spell he wanted to learn without earning Merit points like the rest of the peasants.

    Do the disciples of Master mages have to risk their lives in missions for spells? He didn''t think so.

    Esdras wanted to live this life to the best of his ability, he was an ambitious man by nature. Moreover, that position could afford him vital information that could help him locate the second divine shard hidden in this world.

    Esdras ended his meditation and felt extremely refreshed. For some reason his thoughts were drawn to hisst life on Earth.

    He wondered what it was like there after his disappearance, not to mention the family heirloom along with him.

    He did not even leave behind a body for his family to mourn over, how would they have reacted? Probably in confusion.

    They might have thought that he stole the stone te and ran away or something. His mother must be devastated, it was an image he didn''t like to think about.

    His little brothers must be search all over the ce for him.

    His father¡­ must be furious. The fact that Esdras not only didn''t listen to him about the stone te and even causing it to go missing after it was kept in the family for generations¡­

    A shiver passed through him from head to toe, it might not be a bad idea to be a few worlds away from his father after all.

    At the end of the day he just disappeared without a word, what could he have done? He had no idea this whole thing was going to happen.

    But even if he could rationalize it, he couldn''t help but feel guilty over it. What was thest thing he said to each of them?

    It wasn''t anything significant, he was just being his usual snarky, sarcastic self. Sometimes he was a little too serious in life.

    Why couldn''t he haveughed more with them? Why couldn''t he say a few nice things from time to time? If he knew he would have spent more time with them.

    He could have yed more with his brothers or calmed his temper with them. He could have appreciated his mother more and didn''t argue with her as much as he did.

    He could have gone hunting or watched one more movie with his father. He could have done many things¡­

    But it was toote now, he was not delusional enough to think that he could return to Earth.

    Even if he did, he already knew what tragic twists awaited him once he got there. No, his life there was over even though it ended abruptly and without any exnation.

    Dreams end, it was time to wake up.

    Esdras got up at sunrise, he had fallen asleep at some point and had a dream that he didn''t like think about very much.

 Chapter 36 Royal Personage

    At the height of noon Esdras ordered the team to prepare for departure, and soon after they returned to fort Kuzdin.

    After getting in the fort Esdras realized that the atmosphere was good, even celebratory. The soldiers were talking among themselves so he was able to get some information.

    It seems like the Belkazak and his army were defeated at Gnarhelm and could not breach the Crawling grove either.

    "Did you hear the news?" David came over when he saw Esdras at the lunch table. "It''s only a matter of time before we can go back don''t you think?"

    "Yeah, I''m tired of this annoying forest already," Esdras picked up a sausage roll and enjoyed some quality food atst.

    "Definitely, did you know how many people died this time? It''s insane, this task is simply too brutal." David shook his head andmented.

    "Hm? How many? What happened?" Esdras quickly asked, he was very interested in this subject.

    "I just found out when we returned but it seems like three teams were all killed off, among the dead is Dina. It''s unbelievable." David whispered.

    Dina was a level 4 mage apprentice, she was very important to the tower. The casualties were too high, it was abnormal.

    "What happened? How could so many people die this time?" Esdras asked bitting his lower lip, it was a dark premonitioning true.

    "Did your group not lose anyone this time? Stronger monsters keep appearing, it was the same for Dina''s group, they killed off a nest of Killer mantises but the next day a group of three Owlbears ambushed them and swept the two weaker teams in close by areas."

    Esdras''s guess was confirmed somewhat, for some reason, stronger monsters keep recing whatever monsters they clear out.

    It was strange that goblins would immediately take the ce of the kobolds so fast. It was not natural, it was as if they got an order.

    This is why Esdras made sure not to go overboard, just culling them every once in a while. That way stronger monsters wouldn''te to his turf.

    It''s not like he knew exactly what was going on but he was only acting cautiously out of suspicion. If he was right then great, if not then it''s fine he was just doing as he was ordered.

    The apprentice mages actions can be understood, they were trying to prove themselves to the True mages and received recognition and praise. This could elevate their status in the towerter.

    The apprentice mages were not stupid nor foolhardy, it was just what they were used to doing. The most important thing to a mage is to pursue benefits.

    Mages were not concerned with the morality of mortals, so long as it would benefit them then there were no lines they were not willing to cross. Of course this did not apply to all mages.

    Unfortunately, this time things weren''t that easy. Even if you wanted to outshine the others you should analyze the situation logically and take a step back.

    When he was almost done with lunch he noticed Lieutenant Donnis Mauler, he was a Vigor knight, he was in charge of the march to fort Kuzdin. He looked especially happy and was drinking beer alone.

    But, somehow he didn''t see him much when they arrived to the fort. In fact not even the soldiers who were his subordinates seemed close to him or even know him.

    He really did not do much, it was like he disappearedpletely after getting here. He handed themand of his soldiers to the fort''smander and then never showed up.

    Esdras wasn''t suspicious of him and didn''t really think about him until now. But with the situation being so dire he decided to take a look at him with his [Third eye] just in passing.

    Name: Gilderoy Elbrim

    ss: Vigor knight

    He already knew that he was a Vigor knight, but it was his name that shocked Esdras. This could not be a coincidence, Gilderoy was the name of the crown prince of Elbrim.

    It seems that he hid his identity and came here, but why? Wondering alone probably won''t solve his doubts, so he went over and sat besides the crown prince.

    "Can I have some of that beer?" Esdras asked with a smile.

    The crown prince was drunk and slow to react, "ah, yeah, yeah! A drink, here have a drink! Today''s a good day! My friend."

    Esdras poured himself some cold beer and nk his tankard with the prince''s own, "cheers! Long live the king! Long live the great Elbrim!"

    "Yeah! Long live Elbrim! Long live! Hek! Damn orcs, they dare to invade us? Just because we didn''t masacre all of them back then?"

    The prince started rambling about the war on his own, there couldn''t have been a better time to get some information out of him.

    "Yeah, fuck the orcs and their pretender king! But I wonder how they kept advancing so far even after their defeat in Menhir?" Esdras asked.

    "Ah, they do lose many of their numbers, three Great mages destroyed over three thousand of them in Menhir but even more wild orcs keep joining their army from everywhere!"

    So that''s what''s been happening, although the orcs did lose many but they also keep getting more and more orcs to join their campaign as time goes on.

    The public did not know that, they thought that the orcs lost too many and yet they still didn''t retreat.

    "Even if by some miracle the orcs do breach Gnarhelm and attack the capital, they will just force his Eminence to act personally."

    Yes, this kingdom was the home of a Master mage, Ashran Avantes, one of the five pirs of the Octarine tower.

    This is actually why everyone knew that the orcs would eventually fail, although the Master mages would rarely show their faces, if the situation called for it the problem would be solved in a sh.

    Something simr happened when the coalition of the coast invaded Elbrim a hundred years ago. Their army of ten thousand men was destroyed and ever since they became vassals of Elbrim.

 Chapter 37 Brewing Tension

    "This is but a passing issue, our real battles wille when we unleash our might to conquer all of the Sarifal region."

    The prince must be bragging but could he actually be talking about his actual ambitions?

    "You must be joking, how could the Sarifal region be at war? The Octarine tower will not allow it." Esdras probed.

    "Ah, this won''t involve any mages though, the mages will agree beforehand hand to stay out of it. Then we will use all the gold we hoarded in the old castle and then conquer the region!"

    "But even if it was then it''s not easy to do something like that¡­" Esdras was unconvinced, it''s a fantasy to do something like this so soon after the orc invasion.

    "No, nooo, you''re an idiot" the prince muttered sluggishly, "you, you have no idea we have sooo much gold in the old castle you can swim in it."

    Esdras smiled warily, he didn''t know what to think about that. In fact the Elbrim kingdom had some qualifications to think like that.

    After all, it was a great kingdom with vast territory and their armies were strong. If not for the fact that most of the standing army was already in the midst of an ongoing campaign in the Sarklin desert then the orcs would have never been a threat.

    And moreover, the Elbrim kingdom had a special connection with Master mage Ashran Avantes. It was said that it was his hometown.

    In the past when the Master mage was but an apprentice he left to learn magic at the Crimson tower. Thend here was uncivilized, full of barbarism and strife.

    This was before the five towers joined together to form the Octarine tower, simrly, the kingdoms and tribes in the Sarifal region were scattered and warred with one another frequently.

    Ashran who was heartbroken at the loss of human lives decided to step in after he became a Great mage. He went to the court of one of the tribe leaders and demonstrated his power to the tribe leader, Elbrim.

    That was how he was appointed first court mage, and he personally crowned Elbrim first of his name king. Then he advised him to make friends with some tribes and war with others.

    In a short twenty years the Elbrim kingdom was formed. But that was only the beginning. It is said that he then taught the people civil and military manners.

    The greatest threat of orcs, beastmen and monsters were quickly subdued. Some were killed off and the others enved, in time the kingdom achieved great strides under the teachings of the Master mage.

    However even if Ashran had this ambition, this was not the right time. In fact the right time would have passed by now, considering that he was at the end of his lifespan.

    He already lost his youthful looks and is growing older by the day, how much longer did he have? Not much. So why would he n to conquer the region knowing it would creat friction with the other Masters?

    ? "Oh, uh what about the royal observatory? I heard they were all executed for treason?"

    Esdras decided to change the subject since the first one seemed a little dangerous.

    "Oh? Those fools? I don''t know, they must have angered my¡ª the king greatly. I don''t know why we kept them in the first ce¡­ they should have all been killed! B-but some of them actually managed to escape¡­"

    The prince surprised him once again. The news about the observatory was old but it was thought that all of them were killed. He did not expect that some of them actually managed to escape.

    The so called seers of the observatory were just a bunch of hacks that would predict the weather and crops and so on. Typical medieval things.

    Even though real magic exists there was still a great dose of superstition in this world. This was always a cause of displeasure for mages who thought they were more worthy of worship than the imaginary gods.

    Even Master mages couldn''t predict the future, so how could a bunch of idiots who kept gazing at the stars do so?

    However, the kings of thends liked their ttery and asional correct guess so they remained around for many years.

    The news of their deaths greatly pleased the mages, which Esdras thought might have been the reason behind the king''s action.

    Esdras left the prince once he fell over the table unconscious. While going to look for Celine or David he bumped into some old acquaintances.

    "H-hey Esdras, long time no see. Can we talk? We have something to tell you."

    "Reid?" Esdras recalled the name of the boy talking to him. Although the original host had no friends he had some acquaintances.

    These guys were the unwanted, untalented bunch, they were between level 1 and 2. They were in the same boat pretty much so they shared some camaraderie.

    Esdras followed them curiously. They took him to an abandoned shed, however, there were many of them gathered here and most of them were people whom he didn''t even talk to in the past.

    "What''s this all about?" He asked.

    "Esdras, you are one of us but we didn''t have the chance to talk much in the past. Do see how many people we have here?" Reid gestured, "do you know how many of us died in these two weeks? Twelve! Twelve died in this stupid forest."

    "Okay, and? What''s that got to do with me?" Esdras answered sneering. He did not know why they seemed to be using him of abandoning them or something.

    "And, we decided that we''re going to make a run for it!" Reid said with determination.

    "Make a run for it? You want to escape from the tower?" Esdras narrowed his eyes.

    "We''re going to die in the Rite of passage anyway! This is our chance now that we''re outside and the chaos of the war will give us proper cover. Esdras I don''t know what''s gotten into you but I''m offering you the chance to join us."

 Chapter 38 Not For Long

    "Shut your mouth!" Esdras panicked and looked around, "fool, did you have to say this here, in the fort of all ces? You''re dragging me into a pile of shit."

    Esdras was really mad, he wasn''t the type to get easily riled up but being put in this situation by strangers that didn''t even know the weight of their words was enough to trigger him.

    He could only me himself for being nice and talking to them in the first ce.

    Reid did not look remorseful, he might not have even understood how stupid he actually was.

    "You want to escape? Great, go for it. I want nothing to do with it. Good day."

    Saying that Esdras turned around to leave at once, he did not want to be seen with these deadmen any longer than he had to. Just that was bad enough.

    However, he was unexpectedly stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

    "Esdras don''t tell me you''re that stupid? Now that you know of our n how can you go just like that?"

    Reid sneered and the others blocked off the door. Esdras felt his blood pressure rising, his eyes narrowed and his bloodlust began to seep outward.

    "I won''t tell anyone about your stupid n, so, for thest time while I''m still talking nicely get out of my way."

    Reid and the others looked at each other, some started to back off and others gnashed their teeth. Esdras was about to lose his patience with them.

    "Let him go, he''s no better than us. At least we will escape this hellhole, he''s just a coward." Reid said.

    "Yeah, of course. I''m the coward for not running away. Very clever." Esdras mocked them with disdain lining his words.

    "You¡­!"

    "What? Do you want to fight or not? I have ces to be, get the fuck out of the way, vermin."

    Esdras walked out leaving the rest of the low level apprentices seething in anger. But all they did was just re at him.

    "If you want to escape then you better have a good idea of what you''re going to do after, where will you go?"

    Esdras still left them a few words before leaving, it was because he absorbed the old host''s memories and knew what kind of despair they must be going through.

    After all, to them they either faced death in the Rite of passage or if they were lucky and somehow survived it, then they could be Magical assistants.

    Basically, ves to True mages who helped do everything their masters wanted. They were usedmonly used as test subjects themselves, after all True mages were tired of using ordinary people.

    There was also a way for True mages to earn Merit points in the tower by ''loaning'' their ves to help in other mages experiments. It was called a passive Merit point ie.

    It was a life worse than death. However, they could not even opt to choose that life even if they wanted, they first had to be lucky enough to survive the Rite.

    Surviving the Rite and passing it were twopletely different things. Just because you survived doesn''t mean you passed.

    While strolling around looking for Celine, Esdras felt a chill in the air. His hair stood on end, this was a warning of great danger. It was thanks to his [Veteran''s hunch] passive skill.

    Esdras look at the wall of the castle to his right but didn''t see anything, this was the direction he felt the danger, however that feelingsted for only a moment and then dissolved like a lie.

    Even he felt confused, did he make a mistake? No, he didn''t think so.

    From an outsider''s prospective he only paused for a moment and then continued on his way.

    Esdras walked away pretending that he didn''t notice anything out of ce and sat down as if observing the soldiers celebrating.

    He saw something just then, it was only a glimpse of a w on the wall, but only because of the dust. However now was the time for a probe. Esdras nced back casually.

    [Great giant chameleon Lv.6]

    Rank: 2

    [???]

    Esdras bit his lip, on the wall of the castle ignoring gravity, inside the fortress, there was a giant chameleon and there was a person riding it.

    By his own estimates, a level 5 monster should be at the same power of a True mage or at least very close to it, so one at level 6 was even better than that. Although he couldn''t see the name or level or the person riding it, they must be powerful enough to have it as a mount.

    More importantly what the fuck is going on, who is that person and why couldn''t he see their name at least?

    He had a hunch that it was rted to that cloak, even now he couldn''t see any features of that person as if they were cloaked in shadows.

    Was it an enemy? If so why are they not attacking? Oh, wait. Last week he did remember bumping into the three True mages talking to a cloaked person.

    So, someone on the same side? But, why was it such a big secret? Even to the point of hiding it from everyone but the True mages.

    There was something wrong here, a plot that mere apprentices were not qualified to know.

    "Hey, Esdras! What are you thinking about?" Celine asked, spooking Esdras who was so immersed in his thoughts he didn''t notice her approach.

    "It''s nothing, I was thinking of how much I missed you." Saying that he pulled her into a hug.

    "Y-you! We''re in public!" Celine protested weakly. She just couldn''t get used to the new Esdras at all.

    "Oh, listen Celine why don''t you join my team? I can ask senior Ron."

    "Sure, but doesn''t your team already have a level 4 apprentice? Bran, right?"

    Coincidently he happened to see Bran passing by with a condescending smirk, he smile back and whispered in Celine''s ear.

    "not for long."

 Chapter 39 Terrifying Predicament

    Esdras naturally didn''t forget about those trouble makers, there were reasons why he ignored them.

    The first is to lure them into a false sense of security. He didn''t have to be genius to figure out what was going on in their minds right now.

    The second reason was of course, the problem with the forest. He couldn''t lose sight of the big picture because of small pieces.

    The third reason was because of a certain owl that hovered in the forest and kept watch over all the apprentices.

    While everyone ignored it he used his [Third eye] on it and discovered that it was a familiar. One of the True mages was keeping an eye on them.

    However, Esdras wasn''t going to call off his ns because of these reasons, he just adjusted how he was going to take care of it.

    At night Esdras had some fun with Celine but before falling asleep he found himself thinking about what Reid and the others were about to do.

    It could be done, they could indeed escape sessfully out of this area at least. But then what? They definitely couldn''t return to their homes.

    Elbrim was now at war which was a good time to escape and a bad time too. At this time there is a rise of bandits and monsters all over the country.

    Even if they somehow how made it out of Elbrim, all the nations in the Sarifal region were loyal to the Octarine tower.

    The two neighboring regions were ruled by the two other magic powers and they wouldn''t mind doing the Octarine tower a small favor.

    Only after going over sixteen nations could they make it to the Scattered kingdoms in the old empire, which he guessed was their destination.

    This is why he didn''t escape after he cleared the first floor of the dungeon. At that time he had the perfect chance to escape.

    Night went and passed, the next day after breakfast they were summoned to report on what they did in the past week to senior Ron. During the explication Esdras used his [Third eye] on him.

    [Ron Ssk]

    Rank: 2

    ss: True wind mage

    Spells: Gust Lv.3, Warding winds Lv.3, Wind Cage Lv.2, Gale slicer Lv.2, Air st Lv.4, Feather fall Lv.2, Jump Lv.3, Dissonant whispers Lv.1¡­

    Esdras was able to get a good look at all the spells that Ron learned, it was a total of twenty five spells. Moreover these spells were mostly high level.

    It was clear that Ron was proficient in almost all of his spells. There was also the spell Dissonant whispers, it was a strange spell that he had never heard of.

    Well, it''s nothing to be rmed by, after all Esdras was only an apprentice, his knowledge was limited.

    It seems like True mages were considered rank 2. If so then this must be a broader division than ss level. Basically even though Esdras had two sses he was still considered a Rank 1 being.

    Esdras and the rest were stocking up on supplies before leaving for yet another week of monster suppression. There was some restructuring this time because of the many casualties.

    "OPEN THE GATE!"

    Before they could leave they heard a thunderous roar,ing from the outside.

    A figure reacted before everyone else and darted out, it was unexpected senior Ron who lost his usualposure and with a jump he crossed ten meters in the air andnded on the ramparts.

    It was something that not even Esdras could do, even with his current stats.

    It seems that senior Ron gave the order to open the gate, it was unknown what he saw on the other side.

    Through the gate, a horse galloped in carrying a wounded and badly bleeding woman. She was one of the three True mages.

    "Ca! What happened? Where''s Ben?" Ron quickly asked.

    "He¡­ fell in battle. It''s terrible, it''s a Chimera." Ca said as she lost consciousness and fell off the horse only for Ron to catch her.

    "Get the physicians! Now! And what are you all gawking at?" Ron roared at them, "get out there and do you jobs!"

    Esdras and the rest didn''t dare to protest, it was clear only a fool would risk saying anything right now.

    It could only be said that a terrible sense of terror had set into the hearts of everyone in the fort, both the soldiers and the apprentices.

    Esdras knew that he had to clear the dungeon this week at all costs. The old ns had to be thrown in the garbage.

    This is how life worked, no matter how much you n you can''t predict the future.

    Oh, wait, maybe he actually can? He could use the Divination trait that he got thanks to the neswalker shard, only, he had to consume Origin points to see into the future.

    Esdras was conflicted throughout the trip but ultimately he decided against it. He still didn''t figure out how to gain more Origin points.

    The only time he got any was when he got the Pioneer title and that was only two points. It was too risky to do so now.

    Esdras ate his dinner and returned to his tent immediately but he naturally didn''t go to sleep, he returned to the dungeon.

    The second floor was eerily quiet as usual but he learnedst time that he shouldn''t let his guard down in this silence. Moreover there was no need for him to go through the dangerous ruins.

    He used the cliff walls as levers and thanks to his enhanced strength and physique he climbed up, but not too high and so he managed topletely evade the ruins in the forest.

    Coming down he found himself in a huge, open yard, it was lined with ancient looking grey bricks and littered with statues.

    Most of the statues were broken but a few were intact. They depicted strange men in strange looking ancient African-like clothes. Beneath the statues there were murals that told a story.

 Chapter 40 Never Let Go Of EXP

    Esdras was very curious about these ancient drawings so he took a moment to appreciate them. He had to admit, even though it was only a level in a dungeon it was very detailed.

    The drawings showed the people struggling to fend of monsters and wild beasts. Many warriors died and they had to relocate many times.

    And yet nature was merciless. They were devastated by rain and snow storms, they were butchered by even more monster, there was no safe ce in the world.

    One day a being of unfathomable might tore apart the sky and saved them. He saved the sick and cured the wounded, he gave them swords and spears, he bestowed upon them mystical powers.

    In no time they not only survived but thrived, the monsters were subdued and the wilderness was cleared.

    It was clear what that being was, it was god. They worshipped him and built many monuments to dere his divine grace.

    Their god liked to sleep so they built a great pyramid, when he awakened from his slumber he will fulfill his promise and bring them even greater glory.

    It was kind of a typical story, but it was nheless interesting.

    Passing through the paved walkway he climbed through a flight of stone stairs that went very high. The inside of pyramid was lit with torches along both sides of the walls.

    Esdras put all of his focus on his surroundings and pay extra attention inside this ancient pyramid. After a few minutes he was able to see a clearing out of the narrow hallway.

    It was giant puzzle-like building with stairs that interlocked and diverged in a nonsensical way, some were on the ceiling and to the side in strange and confusing patterns.

    "Oh, boy, here we go."

    Esdras would have gotten lost if not for his Pioneer title, but even then it just gave him an inkling of where to go to move on to the next floor.

    Following the feeling he just ignored everything else and proceeded along, at some point he looked down and found himself walking casually on one of the ceiling staircases.

    He heard a strange noise, it was something knocking on a stone or a wall. He had a hard time figuring it out, either way he didn''t see the source of the noise. At least not yet.

    Along the pathway there were the asional y vases, out of caution he decided to check out on what was inside. It was oil, or perhaps something simr.

    He finally saw a door in this dreary ce, although it was not where he was supposed to go, he decided to check it out. Who know there could be a treasure chest hidden here.

    Prying the door open he found out that the hinges were very flexible, it was a door that could be pushed or pulled to open. He took one step in and then immediately pulled out of the room.

    There was a warning from [Veteran''s hunch].

    Sure enough the solid looking floor of the room turned to dust at soon as he took that first step. Underneath there was a six meter deep pit of sand.

    The fall wouldn''t have killed him but how would he get out then? The sand was very smooth and the pit was deep. The trap was designed that way, he will die of dehydration in three days being stuck in there.

    He couldn''t help but shiver at such a horrific trap. Whoever made it was psychotic, they could have put some spears or something for instant death. Right?

    He no longer bothered, turning around he came across a monster.

    [Cockatrice Lv.2]

    Skill: [Quick Charge Lv.2]

    It had the head, legs, and wings of a cock and the body and tail of a serpent. It''s body was not covered in feathers but disjointed weird looking scales. The beak was wide and long with protruding fangs.

    It red at him with twisted eyes and charged, very quickly, like the northern wind it blurred. Esdras braced himself and swung his mace at the right time.

    He thought that he managed to predict it''s movement speed but, to his surprise the monsters jumped and ran along the side of the wall dodging his mighty blow.

    It almost tore his shoulder apart if Esdras didn''t quickly abandon his mace and grabbed it''s head with his hand. The impact sent both of them crashing on the floor in a bloody streak.

    The blood was from the deformed head of the Cockatrice as Esdras put it under his armpit to cushion his fall.

    [+15 EXP]

    Esdras didn''t have the time to enjoy his victory as he felt a sense of danger assaulting his senses.

    Quickly he got back up only to find himself face to face with three Cockatrices, two form one side of the hallway and one from the other. He was stuck.

    Esdras thought of a n on the fly and ran away, the monsters from both sides gave chase with vicious hunger and hatred.

    Esdras grabbed the door-handle of the trap room and went in. The Cockatrices followed behind him without hesitation.

    Only they fell one after another into the pit.

    Esdras didn''t fall, he hung on to the door handle and when the door swung back he was out of the trap room. It can be considered his victory.

    But honestly he was not satisfied, he felt like he lost on so much EXP like this. He didn''t like that. After a moment he came up with a great n.

    Esdras quickly grabbed a few of the oil vases and threw them into the the trap room injuring some of the trapped Cockatrice but that was not his intention.

    The spilled oil was.

    He judged that the oil was enough when it created ayer on the sand. Then with a smile he took off one of the torches on the wall and threw it in.

    Fire zed and screams of agony echoed out, a foul smell of burnt flesh permeated.

    [+45 EXP]

 Chapter 41 The Pyramid Of Mysteries

    Esdras smiled, this was a good day for sure. And it wasn''t over yet, he nned topletely explore this floor and at least find the boss room on this night.

    He had no choice but to hurry along, the outside world was in a state of turbulence that simply didn''t allow him to take his sweet time.

    Turning around he picked up his mace and moved on, he didn''t want to be caught in pinch again. The hallways and corners of this seemingly endless pyramid were mostly peaceful.

    He did not feel sorry for killing the monsters that way at all, they were monsters that tried to kill him, there was no ce for sympathy in that regard.

    After an hour he chanced upon another door leading to another room. He knew it was probably a trap like thest one but his instincts as a gamer kicked in and he had to check it out.

    The door lead to a small square room that had only a stone tform where a treasure chestid in clear view.

    Esdras had a skeptical expression since he knew to expect traps in this ce already, obviously he didn''t rush in. He tested the ground by throwing several pebbles, nothing happened.

    He broke the hinges of the door and took a clear look at the entire room, it was just as empty as it seemed and didn''t really have any ce where anyone or anything could hide.

    There was no reaction from his [Veteran''s hunch], so Esdras walked in holding his mace at the ready. But he did not approach the tform from the front but the side.

    Esdras kicked the chest off the tform and jumped in the air to catch it, he caught itnded and rolled right outside the room. However, he didn''t expect multiple holes to open up in the room from all sides.

    Several arrows were shot at all sides, three arrows pierced Esdras in the back despite being outside. Bleeding from the back he crawled out of the arrows range.

    If he had known he wouldn''t have broken the door. Unfortunately there was no if in life.

    Esdras wasn''t too hurt by the arrows actually, they were shallow wounds. His body was already incredibly powerful at this point.

    He decided not to used any Heath potions because it wasn''t necessary and to test his passive skill [Vitality Lv.2], he wanted to see what kind of healing power he had.

    It was important to better understand his own abilities so that he could best use themter on.

    [Amulet of protection: umon grade item, after bonding with the it, it will cast a protective barrier passively at the cost of 1 mana per three hours. It can be used to actively cast Mana barrier once a day.]

    It was in the shape of a silver flower with a blue gem in the center, it was both elegant and simple. More importantly it was extremely practical.

    It was a perfect gift for Celine since shecked any training for closebat.

    Esdras didn''t need it, he was mostly a close quarterbatant anyway, for now that is.

    He continued his exploration and finally found what he was looking for. It was a grand hall of staircases, three to be exact.

    One was in the middle and the most prominent, the two others nked it on both sides and bent around the one in the center.

    The difference between them was that the two staircases on the sides went up and joined into one giant staircase, the one in the center went downwards.

    Esdras knew the way to the boss room was upwards not down. So, he resisted his curiosity and decided to go upwards instead of exploring since he already spent so much time in the dungeon and tomorrow was a big day.

    He could choose any one of the staircases that lead upwards so he chose the closest one to him. Everything was going smoothly until he was about to reach the point where the two staircases merged.

    He heard a distinct clinking noise and the stairs he was on flipped and turned into a smooth slide, he reacted when it was toote.

    There was an oil-like substance oozing out of the gaps that only made things worse for him.

    "Fuck!"

    He thought he could just take the hit when he crashed down but unexpectedly he saw a hole appear at the end of the slide. Without being able to resist he was flung through.

    The tunnel he went in had no turns or bends, just a straight forward path.

    However Esdras was not one to let things happen without trying anything, he summoned hie strength and unleashed the entirety of his Vigor in his entire body.

    He then stabbed his mace into the walls of the sliding tunnel and heard a devastating collision as the walls and his mace met with at speed and power it drilled into the walls but it wasn''t enough to stop him.

    He was going too fast but he held on and slowed down, until he finally came to a stop. Feeling his arms about to give in he opened his eyes only to witness a bright light.

    He was literally two steps away from an great ravine. If he didn''t stop in time¡­

    Esdras sat down, drank a Stamina potion and decided the only way to get out of this situation is to get back up the way he came.

    With his enhanced body he climbed up and used the destruction caused by his mace to lever himself up, the gravity worked against him and made the climb much harder.

    When he finally got out he was in for another surprise, he was back at the entrance of the pyramid somehow. It was unknown how this worked.

    After he got out the hole he climbed out of closed up andpletely vanished giving him the illusion that it never existed in the first ce.

 Chapter 42 The Tables Have Turned

    Esdras returned to the real world feeling dejected that his attempt failed. It''s not like he could me the Pioneer title, after all it only said it made it less likely for him to be lost in dungeons.

    This meant that he only had a general sense of direction, it was not omnipotent by any means. In fact he managed to evade most traps by luck or due to [Veteran''s hunch].

    Anyway this was a learning experience and he at least knew not to take the left staircase next time. Heforted himself with these thoughts and killed an Ageruus creeper and took the eyes.

    Unfortunately this one was a level 2 type and only gave him 16 EXP.

    Back in the real world he figured that there was still some time before sunrise and so he took a trip to Celine''s camp.

    He sneaked into the camp and woke her up, in the dark he took her away from the camp.

    "W-what''s this all about? Why are you here?" She asked, clearly annoyed at being suddenly woken up so early.

    "Nothing, nothing. Do I need a reason to see you?" Esdras chuckled but then his expression turned serious, "look what I got you."

    "Oh, my god!" Celine eximed as she gazed at the amulet in her hand, "it''s a beautiful ne, oh, thank you." She beamed, all the drowsiness suddenly gone.

    "Well, actually it''s an amulet not a ne." He corrected.

    "Is there a difference?" Celine countered.

    "Eh, no? Anyway who cares. The thing is, this is no mere jewelry. It''s a magic item, it''s called the Amulet of protection, it''s yours."

    Celine channeled her mana into the amulet and it responded proving that it was indeed a magic item. "What, how did you get this? It''s a true eleven magic item!"

    "I don''t think it''s elven, I don''t really know. Anyway, I have my ways, didn''t I say that I would get you a magic item? Here it is." Esdras smiled.

    "No, no, you should have it. Your safety is more important than mine." Celine tried to return the amulet to him but he didn''t allow her.

    "I don''t have any mana, unlike you. How could I use it? It''s obvious you should have it. Besides, your safety is important to me."

    Celine had a difficult look on her face, she wanted to refute somehow but his argument was wless. She opened her mouth several times trying to find words but she ended up with nothing.

    Esdras smiled warmly at this sight and kissed her on her forehead. He really liked Celine, and he liked her more and more with time.

    This is because of her loyalty to the old host, in fact she had every right and opportunity to abandon Esdras in the past but she simply didn''t.

    It was at a level that Esdras would even call blind and dumb loyalty, especially to someone undeserving of such loyalty.

    But it was also because of this illogical loyalty that he himself couldn''t have that he admired her. The old Esdras pushed her away out of shame but in fact she probably helped him more than he realized behind the scenes.

    Esdras hoped that he could reward that loyalty but he wasn''t doing it for the old Esdras he was doing it for himself rather. It can be said that it was selfish of him but he didn''t care.

    ****

    A cold ssh of water shocked the threezy assholes awake.

    "Aaaah!"

    "W-what?"

    "Fuck who wants to die!"

    The three of them had different reactions but they were only met with an indifferent smile from Esdras.

    "Did you sleep well? It''s almost noon guys, I sure hope you don''t mind me waking you guys up. We have some important work that absolutely needs teamwork."

    Bran looked around and was surprised that Esdras was saying the truth, it was indeed almost noon. Usually they would be woken up at sunrise.

    "What''s the meaning of this! So what if we sleep in a little? Can''t you give the work to the peasants you-" Tara exploded in rage and yelled at Esdras.

    The peasants she was talking about were the soldiers.

    However her rant was cut off by a p across the face.

    Tara touched her face in horror, her cheek was red and started to swell, "What the fuck! You dare to hit me! You''re out of your mind! Not even my father hit me-"

    She got another p. One, two, one, two. Esdras was actually being very merciful as he barely put any strength behind his hands.

    After the fifth p Tara stopped trying to talk over him and everyone including the soldiers was watching this public humiliation.

    Esdras stopped pping her and looked at her but she lowered her head hiding it behind her hair so he pulled her hair back making her look at his indifferent eyes.

    "Now, if you speak out of turn again, I will have you spanked on your buttocks, as your father clearly failed to do, turning you into this little bitch that you are."

    With that being said he gestured to two of the soldiers who went to bring in something special that he especially prepared for today.

    "Now then, let put this unpleasant business behind us and focus on serious matters. Today we have a big operation, one that requires your vital cooperation, will you help me?"

    Naturally the three of them nodded. They clearly understood it was not a suggestion and more like an order they had to obey.

    "Good, good. I''m d that we can agree so quickly. I sawst week that we were performing significantly less than the other teams and as the leader I decided on a n to get us ahead to earn recognition."

    "It''s a brutal ce this forest, and the goblins in this area have been a menace. So I made the perfect trap to get rid of as many goblins as possible all at once."

    The three of them nodded and at the same time they felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as if they heard this conversation not long ago.

    ''Hmm, yes a very brutal forest to point that three promising apprentices will die in a terrible ident¡­''

 Chapter 43 You Must Die

    "So, in this n you guys will bait the goblins to the trap and then the soldiers and I will take care of the rest. Any questions?"

    There was a pin-drop silence after he finished exining the n. Their faces turned even uglier but they help their anger back.

    Esdras didn''t beat around the bush, he directly told them that they were bait. He wanted to see if they could still hold back after knowing the rest of the n.

    Esdras took the three of them to the ce where the action will take ce. A trap prepared by their own hands. It was a half circle made of huge stones under a small hill.

    The center of the half circle was the only opening and exit. This was not a natural formation of course, it was the busywork they didst week.

    Or what they thought of as busywork, it was not. It was intentional preparation by Esdras. Though he did enjoy seeing them suffer and whine about it.

    Some of the soldiers came out carrying a wooden cage, it was clearly recently made albeit crudely. This was also their own handy work.

    "So, I guess it''s time to exin the n in better detail." Esdras coughed to attract their attention, "you will bait the goblins into the stone circle and then you guys will hide in the cage and bombard them with your spells and whatnot."

    "Meanwhile, the soldiers and I will assist by shooting them with arrows from this hill. It''s not that hard really."

    "What!"

    "You''re insane!"

    "This is just sending us to die."

    Esdras took in their outburst with an understanding smile, as if he could see why they were mad.

    "Rx, I think you''re agitated because you slept for too long, hahaha. Did you forget that you will be safe in the cage?"

    "Last week, didn''t I tell you guys to make it as sturdy as possible? As I remember you guys assured me that it''s sturdy enough right? You didn''t lie to me back then did you?"

    Esdras looked at them each in the eye as he saw them squirm not knowing what to say. They were doomed either way.

    "Alright, with all that being said, now for thest part of the n." Esdras saw the two soldiers he sent away earliering back with a bucket that they both had to carry together.

    cing the bucket down an extremely putrid smell wafted everywhere.

    "Ew, what the hell is that?" Tara closed her nose and looked disgusted. She was not alone everyone including the soldiers couldn''t stand the smell at all.

    "Terrible smell right? It''s wild boar shit. Bad news is, you will use this to bait the goblins into the trap." Esdras grinned at the trio. And waited for the inevitable question.

    "¡­how so?" Theo, the quite but sinister one asked. Feeling a dreadful wind settling around them.

    "Don''t be rmed but you will have to spread it all over your bodies. It will have to be a thickyer in order to make sure the smell is very obvious."

    "What is this talk about the smell? Why do we even need to use this shit to bait the goblins! We can just attack them and that''s it." Bran clearly couldn''t hold back any longer andshed out.

    "Tsk, tsk, what did I say about raising your voice at me? Look here, the goblins are attacked to this smell, this is the result of intensive research that I concluded after careful study. But, if you want to rebel against the Octarine tower then go ahead."

    Esdras naturally didn''t do any research of that kind he was just going out of his way to pay these assholes back.

    He didn''t forget that he was forced to walk through that tunnel of Troglodyte shit because of them.

    To exaggerate things he even invoked the entire Octarine tower directly, this was a phycological trick. He was making a mountain out of a molehill.

    "Since you guys will be doing the hard work I will apply the shit on you myself topensate for not doing much, I hope you can look past my ipetence."

    Esdras took out two cloves that he borrowed from the smithy in the fort and went to work on the three of them.

    "Hek!¡­ I''m sorry! Hek! Please don''t do this! I just went along with it¡­I didn''t mean to¡­"

    Unexpectedly Theo started crying and apologizing to Esdras with tears streaming down his eyes.

    "Hey, hey, don''t cry. You will do a great service today. There is nothing to be sorry about." Esdras didn''t bother to give him an actual answer.

    Sorry? Was that word enough for trying to kill him? As if! How shameless can one person be, there is no way Esdras was going to just forget about it.

    ''You tried to kill me just to fit in? You still have to die!''

    Esdras sent the three on their way along with two soldiers in secret, they were to report if the three tried to make a run for it. Which honestly would make his job much easier.

    At this point the soldiers moved the wooden cage to the far end of the enclosure where the three would hide.

    With the excuse of inspecting the cage he broke two of the poles which made the cage wobbly.

    ''Heheh! Justice sure feels good!''

    After twenty minutes of wait he heard amotion approaching the trap site. The two soldiers returned first and grabbed their bows above the hill. Esdras and the rest were waiting there.

    The hoard of more than fifty goblins came chasing after a group of three pieces of shit that fled in fear and despair.

    Three of them ran into the enclosure and mmed the cage shut, the goblins had to go through the opening of the trap which meant that they could deal with fewer goblins at once.

    "Sir should we shoot now?" One of the soldiers asked in good faith.

    But he didn''t know what was really going on, "hold, wait until I give the order we must ensnare the goblins carefully." There was a cold gleam in his eyes.

 Chapter 44 Backstory

    Esdras watched in glee as the three struggled with all their power against the overwhelming number of hungry goblins.

    [Stone bullet!]

    Bran shouted and a pebble in his hand was shot at several goblins. The pebble might not look like much but it was tough and shot a terrifying speed killing two or more goblins with every shot.

    Theo summoned water andunched a small wave at the feet of the goblin making them lose their bnce and tripping many behind them.

    This gave Tara the perfect chance to shoot wind cutters at them, an arc of condensed wind that was as sharp as a de, killing and maiming a few at once.

    But that was pretty much what they were capable of, besides Bran the two of them were only level 3 apprentices and could only manipte and produce their respective elements.

    In fact what Tara was doing was very close to a cantrip which meant that she was close to advancing to level 4.

    "YOU! What are you waiting for?!" Someone shouted from below but Esdras was cleaning his mace as if he didn''t hear anything.

    "Sir¡­?" As soldier asked and the others were looking at him, waiting for him to give the order. Simrly he didn''t say anything.

    *Crash!*

    Suddenly the wooden cage broke and several goblins quickly crawled in through the gaps sending the three of them into a panic.

    They tried to focus on casting anything they could but¡­ they were only apprentices after all, the amount of mana they had was very limited. Without noticing Tara and Theo were out of mana

    Tara quickly shoved Theo into the iing goblins and backed away. The goblins tore through his fragile skin and bit into his tender flesh. Bloodcurdling screams echoed.

    A horrific scene of guts and blood dyed the soil and not long after Theo eyes lost all semnce of life. This scene traumatized Bran and Tara to no end.

    Suddenly Bran summoned whatever strength he had left and in a fit of madness he shot out several Pebble bullets and killed as many as ten goblins at once.

    This caused the goblin hoard to pause momentarily but that was enough time for Bran to make a run for it out of the encirclement and into the woods.

    "DESERTER!"

    Upon seeing that Esdras hurriedly branded Bran a deserter and grabbed his mace.

    "You guys keep a watch over the goblins here and I will pursue the deserter."

    Without waiting for any reply Esdras jumped over the hill andpletely ignored the goblins. After all we wouldn''t want Bran to actually get very far.

    In fact he was happy that Bran made a run for it, he had some questions he needed answered and he was resigned to not getting those answers and just killing them all but now a chance presented itself to him.

    This made him very happy.

    Esdras had an enhanced physique between him and the already exhausted and pure mage Bran, there was nopassion to begin with.

    So, before long Esdras already caught up with him but he intentionally widened the distance. This was to give Bran false hope and to get a bit further away from the rest.

    However, disappointingly Bran couldn''t make it too far, a fifteen minute run was all he could muster.

    "Stop¡­ fuck¡­ haaah!" Bran started crawling to get away in vain. Esdras didn''t feel sorry for him.

    "Stop right there, deserter. Do you know what the punishment for desertion is? Hm?" Esdras smirked and approached slowly.

    "I''m not¡­ I just wanted to live! You bloody bastard!" Bran red at him venomously.

    "Okay, okay, enough games. First of all, why don''t you tell me why you tried to kill me? You''re gonging to die anyway."

    Bran looked like he was collecting his breath and looked down. Esdras crushed his left hand into a bloody pulp with his mace.

    "AGAAAAH!"

    "I won''t repeat the question. Bran, I don''t remember talking to you let alone offending you to the point of a deadly grudge. Why target me?"

    Esdras didn''t see the point of raising his voice so he just softly asked in interest. This matter bothered him quite a bit ever since he came to this world.

    "I¡­ I grew up on the trout farm with my father and mother, back then we lived a normal and peaceful life. I was smarter than kids my age and so my parents were very proud of me. But then¡­ a local noble set his sights on my mother and decided to take her as a maid when my father refused he was killed in front of me. You! You! It''s you nobles who think you''re better than everyone! If I have the chance I will kill every single one of you-"

    Before this rant went on any longer Esdras pped him across the face with a dumbfounded look.

    "What the fuck are you rambling about, I don''t give a fuck about your backstory dumbass!" Esdras facepalmed, "I''m asking why you tried to kill me specifically, did you make a deal with Robert? Who told you to take me out?"

    "I¡­ what? Robert?" Bran had a confused look on his face, "T-Tara, when we were talking she said¡­ that it wouldn''t matter if you died¡­"

    Esdras swung his mace and crushed Bran''s skull in one hit, he was somewhat disappointed. So Tara instigated it and Bran already had a burning hatred for all nobles.

    As for this hypocritical asshole he naturally didn''t care about his motives beyond that. Hatred for nobles? Sad story, unfortunately he took it out on the wrong person.

    "That was a clean hit."

    Esdras whipped around to the source of the voice. Under the shade of the giant trees a guy walked closer, he had a soft smile and short white hair that looked unusual on such a young man.

    He was wearing a simple white shirt on ck trousers and a cloak. He looked at the sight of a body with a crushed head and body parts sttered around but his eyes maintained a child-like innocence.

 Chapter 45 Disturbing Encounter

    ''A clean hit?''

    [+22 EXP]

    Esdras didn''t know if this guy was joking or not. That was clearly a messy death.

    Moreover importantly, this guy may have overheard some things. His hands grip tightened on the mace.

    "Oh, are you going to kill me to eliminate witnesses? Ooof, that''s scary~" the young man said shaking his head, he was not doing a good job of looking frightened at all.

    "Why would I kill you for just that?" Esdras shrugged, "I simply executed a deserter, I have nothing to hide."

    Esdras wasn''t a cold blooded murderer, in any case he was in the right this time. There was no need to take things too far.

    "That''s nice of you, I guess I will get to live another day. You have my gratitude." The young man bowed, but his attitude was insincere.

    "Oh, yeah? Well, not so fast. First of all, tell who you are and what are you doing in this forest?"

    Esdras probed. No matter how you looked at it, it was very strange for a some nobody to be wandering around here now of all times when the world was in chaos.

    Naturally he didn''t wait for an answer, he directly used his eyes.

    [Name: Ishtar]

    ss:¡ª

    Physique: 1

    Agility: 1

    Intelligence: 1

    Spirituality: 2

    Esdras frowned, he was just a normal person. Except for his slightly higher spirituality there was nothing special about him. He didn''t exude any energy either.

    "Ah, you can call me Ishtar, I am a lowly wanderer, just having a look here and there. I hope I didn''t take too much of your time, you just looked interesting so I stopped by."

    "Well, there''s nothing worth your time here, good day." Esdras turned around intending to cut this encounter short.

    "Now, that''s wrong. Aren''t you an interesting person? I haven''t seen this level of achievement for Vigor knights before, and one so young too."

    Esdras turned back at once, he reevaluated his stance one this guy. No one was able to know such a thing by coincidence.

    "You must be joking, I am a little talented but my abilities are average." He replied warily.

    "Ah, I spoke too much." Ishtar looked apologetic as if it was a slip of the tongue just now, "I didn''t mean to offend you, it''s been a while since I''ve engaged in conversation."

    Esdras was unable to tell if he was truthful or not but he chose not to start a conflict. Mainly because ever since heid eyes on this guy he had a creepy and eerie feeling about him.

    "Ah, you''re such mild manner person, as a token of my gratitude I will give you a piece of advice; get out of here immediately."

    "Here¡­?"

    "This forest, get out of it. That''s all, I hope to see you again soon, see youter, Esdras." Ishtar waved his and back and forth like a kid with that broad smile and walked away.

    Esdras already knew that his current assignment was very dangerous but he couldn''t just leave even if he wanted to.

    Not only would that make the Octarine tower his enemies, he would also lose out on clearing the dungeon.

    But actually Esdras had no reason to leave the tower, they didn''t do anything bad to him so far.

    Also they were an established and well connected organization with ess to great resources and spells, with his talent he could rise in the ranks easily. He had the most to gain by staying.

    Esdras walked back to the trap-site, it was only halfway there that he realized he never gave Ishtar his name.

    With a sudden chill all over his body he felt an irrational feeling that he shouldn''t turn around and he didn''t. It was only after he returned to camp that he breathed out in relief.

    All in all, it seems like Tara survived because the soldiers intervened as soon as he left. He managed to kill two of them but the same trick isn''t likely to work twice.

    Actually it might work, but he had no way to justify it to the higher ups. After all, he lost two outstanding apprentice mages already, if he lost thest one in the same time frame he would look very bad.

    At this point he could chug it up to a an ident that was unavoidable, after all many others were suffering simr casualties but any more than this and he could get in trouble.

    Naturally, this did not mean that he was going to let Tara go. In fact it might be good that she made it, after all she was an important clue as to why some people wanted him dead.

    Of course Esdras suspected his dear uncle in this matter, but there were several inconsistencies that bothered him.

    ****

    At night, within the dark and cold forest the wind blew on several figures, each were wearing soft luxurious fabrics and adorned with beautiful patterns.

    These figures were sitting in a huge well decorated tent, on cushioned sofas and drank tantalizing wine. The tent was illuminated with a crystal orb.

    No monsters dared to get close to this area, the figures within the tent each released terrifying mana wildly causing the atmosphere to fluctuate.

    "Anyone want to tell me what''s this party all about?" Anky man with no facial hair askedzily.

    "Does it matter? We''re here for the usual stuff, killing! Heheh this time we''ll get some payback out of the Octarine tower."

    A chubby woman who looked like a housewife answered in a kind and soothing voice contradicting her words.

    "I guess you joined to save face, huh." One of them snickered at the woman.

    "I only lost because of their greater numbers!" The woman shot back in anger.

    "No matter this time we will feast on some young meat hehe."

    A man with a scar under his eye joined in with a creepyugh, his mana suddenly red and something was shot out of his hand to impale a butterfly stuck in spider''s web on a nearby tree.

 Chapter 46 Infernal Contract

    The wind whipped violently in response to a great shockwave in the ruins of the second floor. A giant toad was mangled with savage force as it died in agony.

    Esdras got a treasure chest out of it that had [basic antidote slips] they were like small bandaids that could be stuck anywhere on the body and would activate automatically to cure any basic poisons.

    He decided toe and clear the second floor at once, since he pretty much finished the exploration phase he only had to beat the boss.

    The warning he got from the mysterious Ishtar was another reminder that he had to finish his business here as soon as possible.

    However there were some things that he couldn''t just let go of, for example this dungeon, the EXP and the magic items he was getting from it. It could be said that greed was a powerful thing.

    Either way, tomorrow his three elemental sigils were going to bepleted at which point he intended to use the EXP he had to rise a level and even bing a full fledged True mage if possible.

    Unfortunately bing a True mage in this forest didn''t have many advantages. After all, a mage''s power didn''te from how much mana they had but the spells they knew.

    And Esdras didn''t even know any cantrip let alone a spell. Of course he could learn some cantripster on from Celine and David but the general situation remained unchanged.

    After figuring that out he decided to farm as much EXP as he could on his way to the pyramid.

    In better conditions he would have liked topletely clear out the monsters but life was a series of unexpected events.

    So in this way he killed quite a few monsters until he stood at the entrance to the pyramid.

    All in all he gained at total of 280 EXP and dozens of different kinds of potions. Now his total amount of EXP amounted to 1019, the most he ever had.

    He decided to leave most of the potions and many new pairs of [eye of Ageruus creeper] out of the pyramid as carrying a bag of items and potions was a distraction that he didn''t need.

    However Esdras didn''t enter yet, he focused his mind on the system and consumed 180 EXP to level up his Vigor knight ss from level 3 to level 4.

    As soon as he did so he experienced the magical feeling of his Vigor expanding and filling his entire body. This moment was as if time came to a stand still.

    But itsted the span of a single blink.

    Esdras could feel it clearly now, he no longer had to focus his mind to channel Vigor into his attacks, every single one of his movements contained Vigor.

    Of course that was at different intensities depending on his intentions. After all, he didn''t want to break a hole in the ground every time he took a step.

    Something that needed an immense level of concentration and effort now only needed a thought. His stats haven''t changed, even his Vigor didn''t increase.

    He also gained an acute control over his body, he was incredibly flexible and durable, he was capable of superhuman acrobatic skills. His actual fighting power may have doubled as of now.

    Unfortunately the next level which meant the next realm, Vigor core, needed 520 EXP. Good new is he also got two Skill points and two Stat points.

    Esdras wasn''t sure if he wanted to breakthrough just yet. Carrying with him only the bare necessities, some water, three health potions and one stamina potion. Oh, he also had two antidote slips on him.

    Inside the pyramid he was no longer as confused with it''s structure as he was the first time but he was very curious about what kind of magical effects made it like this.

    This time he realized that the current path he was taking was different from the one he took the first time. There was no mistake since he followed [Vetaran''s hunch].

    On the way he noticed another one of those trap rooms and looked inside, after checking from traps he didn''t find any. Obviously that wasn''t good news, it just meant that the trap was hard to detect by normal means.

    But the treasure chest inside was very tempting, he was aware that the trap was there but the treasure also had something valuable inside it for sure.

    Anyway he had brought a few things in his small backpack besides water and potions for situations like these.

    Steeling his heart he took out a short rope (7 meters long) from his backpack and tied it around the chest whole making sure not to move it in the slightest.

    He walked out of the room and in one single pull he yanked the chest out. The moment the chest left the tform, a hole opened in the ceiling and a Gtinous cube fell right on the entire tform.

    Within ten seconds the entire room turned into a ck mush that releases nauseating gasses. Esdras felt his scalp going numb.

    No matter he opened the chest.

    [Infernal pact: a rare grade item, used to form and enforce anyw or agreement by any party. Those who break the agreement whether knowingly or not will suffer the consequences as specified in the contract without fail, in the name of Hell. In addition they will face the eternal wrath of ####.]

    Wow, he got his hands on something awesome. Three yellowish parchment papers, not one but three! It was absolutely worth it.

    This was an absolutely unbreakable contract. Well, not really, but whoever dod that will actually suffer the consequences of breaking the deal. And it looks like he could actually put in whatever he wanted?

    Moreover hell was apparently real?

    Esdras carefully put away the infernal contracts and proceeded to the intersection of staircases it was the left upper staircase that was trapped, so obviously or rather probably the one on the right was the correct choice.

    He was about to face the boss.

 Chapter 47 The Boss Of The Second Floor (1)

    However Esdras was really curious about the staircase in the center that went downwards, opposite of where the boss room was ording to his title and ability.

    What if there was another treasure chest? It was hard to turn it down, especially after he got the infernal contracts.

    Esdras carefully descended down the obsidian stairs, the staircase went on for a while mostly because Esdras didn''t rush, he was afraid a trap may spring up likest time, so he was on full alert.

    In the end there were no traps, he stood before a gigantic gate of unknown material. The gate was fit for giants as it stood at ten meters high.

    On one side of the gate, there was a mural simr to the one he saw outside on the statues depicted, the god and the civilization underneath him in prosperity.

    On the other side, however there was a different picture.

    On this side, it showed the gigantic figure of the God unleashing chains that prate the heads of the worshipers below however, the worshipers continued to venerate the God, without noticing the chains in their minds.

    Esdras marveled at the great ss craftsmanship, and felt a chill at the implications, but he didn''t do well on it too much.

    He decided to try and open the gate, after all, it may be heavy, but with his enhanced strength, he might be able to open it after all.

    However, contrary to his expectations, the gate not heavy at all it opened with disturbing ease. In fact if not for his bnce he might''veical fallen in on his face.

    Esdras saw the only thing in this giant''s hall.

    It was a giant sarcophagus that was even bigger than the gate, it was made of the same obsidian material and held in the air vertically by hundreds of chains.

    ? The obsidian sarcophagus was inscribed with hundreds of mysterious runes and symbols, other than that it depicted a typical pharaoh mask that held two strange objects in a cross.

    The chains weren''t actually imbedded in the ceiling of the hall but passed through numerous holes in the ceiling that went up to an unknown ce.

    A strange ghostly light was channeled through the chains to the sarcophagus. It was unknown where it was syphoned from and for what purpose.

    Esdras was overwhelmed not just by the sight but also by a dark, evil miasma that seeped into the very air he breathed, it was a dark purple aura that simply spread from this being unintentionally.

    He found it hard to breath or focus, his vision was blurred for some unknown reason.

    Esdras subconsciously used his third eye on the sarcophagus.

    [Name: ???]

    ss: ???

    Rank: 4

    Shocked to the core he took a step backwards, although he only saw the rank of this creature, it was something beyond his imagination.

    Rank 2 was a True mage, ording to this knowledge he could deduce that rank 3 was a Great mage, so a rank 4 was a Master mage!

    It was the peak level power of this world.

    It was not something that Esdras could even dream of going against. Fortunately, he was certain that this was not the boss of the second floor.

    Although he honestly didn''t understand what was going on, or how could this thing exist in the second floor of a low level dungeon he honestly didn''t want to know.

    With slow deliberate steps backwards he closed the massive gate and retreated slowly, every step he took was as heavy as a mountain, the pressure he felt was not like anything he had ever experienced.

    Gulping down he clutched his fist and walked back, hoping to be as quite as possible.

    The reasons he was willing to kill others in this life were many, but if he had to pick only one then it would be fear of death. As someone who experienced death once he didn''t want to die again.

    Describing death was not possible but he could distinctly remember that feeling of disgust and despair, that mind boggling pain that unending nightmare.

    Since he got to live again he didn''t want to experience that feeling again. For that reason he wanted to get as powerful as he possibly could, so he could have an easy and long life.

    Back at the intersection he calmed down and took a break for obvious reasons. It''s okay, he didn''t have to fight that thing, the boss wouldn''t be that insane.

    Otherwise, he was prepared to give up on this dungeon and just pack up and leave. He could alwayse backter when he was strong enough¡­

    He climbed up the right set of stairs and found himself face to face with a normal sized gate which was a good sign.

    He was greeted with the sight of¡­ a hall? It was a massive room, in fact so massive but only if he looked to the right or left side. As the hall seemed literally endless when he looked to the sides.

    But the northern end was not of the same quality, it was only thirty meters from where he was standing. And there was a gate on that side that¡ªno doubt¡ªlead to the third and final floor.

    Only the hall was filled with bodies, hundreds, perhaps thousands if one looked to the two sides of the room.

    People who were somehow frozen in prayer positions. All of them were kneeling and sped their hands as if wishing for a dear miracle.

    But there skin and flesh had not decayed, he could still see their expressions clearly. It was hard to call them alive but they didn''t look dead either.

    *Creek!*

    His opponent in this eerie ce was a construct of stone and metal, with long ted arms that dragged against the ground and hunched shoulders.

    It only had a metallic, featureless and oblong head. Along with green glowing eye sockets, spikes of various lengths, some barbed and some not, jut out from the monster from all sides, including along its limbs.

    It walked on almost hooved metallic feet. Bodies of fallen praying men adorn the various spikes on the construct''s body, with the monster adding new bodies to its collection as he was looking.

    [Dead scavenger Lv.5]

 Chapter 48 The Boss Of The Second Floor (2)

    [Dead scavenger Lv.5]

    Rank: 2

    - Low magic resistance Lv.1

    - Dulling mist Lv.2

    - Shocking spark Lv.3

    Esdras narrowed his eyes, to be honest he didn''t expect to face off with a rank 2 monster here. ording to his spection the boss of the third floor should have been the one.

    Be that as it may he had to win here to get to there. His eyes fixated on that hulking mass of stones and steel as it impaled one body after another on it''s spiked armored all over it''s body.

    The monster didn''t seem to notice him or pay him any attention if it did. So, he decided to keep still until the spikes were covered with bodies that way he wouldn''t have to worry about being stabbed.

    However, something very unsettling happened when the spikes were mostly filled. An electric current was released all over the body of the Dead scavenger and disintegrated the bodies in the matter of thirty seconds.

    His eyes widened at such a disy, a human body was tougher that one would expect, and yet several bodies turned to ash in such a short amount of time.

    Esdras decided that he must definitely not get hit by that attack, it may have looked like electric currents but it definitely wasn''t, it was something far more dangerous.

    At this point the Scavenger looked at Esdras with it''s glowing green eyes. And advanced with a steady pace, it was hard to call it a charge.

    Esdras grabbed his mace with both hands and waited, considering the mere size of the monster it wasn''t that intimidating. 2.5 m was not a big deal for monsters, it was as big as a giant toad.

    But that didn''t affect Esdras''s focus, height was not the problem here.

    When it was close to him the Scavenger reached out it''s hand and attempted to capture him.

    Esdras frowned, this didn''t feel like an attack at all, it was a mechanical movement that simply followed orders. But of course Esdras couldn''t allow himself to be captured so he ducked in thest moment.

    The hand of the monster paused in midair, in that moment, he rose back up, closing the distance between them, and performed an uppercut with his mace to the oblong head of the scavenger.

    This attack carried his full might. He was not going easy at all the impact created with that strike cause the air to ripple and whip around them. He heard a crack, and so with his own eyes, the armor around the head of the monster fractured.

    But that was it, before he couldnd another strike he could only the feel the air violently sting out of his lungs as a fist of steel struck him.

    He flew in the air for ten meters, if not for the fact that he mmed into several buddies of the ying worshipers, perhaps he would have gone on for longer.

    Esdras quickly got back up and dodged another fist in thatst moment. The fist tore through several of the bodies lying around and crashed into the earth, creating a small jagged hole.

    Esdras took that moment to regain his breath, and held onto the spikes of that of the hand that mmed into the earth.

    What he was about to do next could only be done with insane agility and supernatural flexibility.

    He use that the spikes as a lever to jump into the extended arm of the monster and run along it, with the right momentum he jumped in the air and struck the head of the monster once again.

    The weight and strength of that attackbined with the gravity and Vigor to create a terrifying, cold light that aimed to behead the creature.

    However, this attack was destined not tond. Instead, it was blocked by the gauntlet of the other inhumanly, long hand of the monster.

    Although there was a powerful impact, the armor of the gauntlet was not affected in the least. At least it did not show any signs of breaking anytime soon.

    This caused a counter shock to run through his bones, rattling him. The air resulting of that collision became as sharp as a de as it cut through some of his cloths and body.

    Before he could evennd on his two feet, the hand, which he just use as a lever, bent in a supernatural way.

    If it had an elbow or joints, that would not have been possible however, this was a monster in the true sense of the word.

    That hand captured him and grabbed him before he could evennd. The grip was so powerful that he felt that his enhanced body was under so much pressure that his blood might just pop out of his body.

    *m!*

    He was mmed into the ground. The bodies around him were ignored entirely, and a mixture of blood and it''s broken bone seeped into the crack.

    Dust scattered andnded on his wounds giving him the impression he was being burned alive.

    His mindmanded his body to move to do anything to no avail, it was like his body was a separate entity that refused to respond to his desperation.

    He was not even able to register the feeling of disgust before a gigantic foot stomped on him, immediately he felt several of his bones breaking at once. That power was uncaring for his thoughts at all.

    Under the immense pressure, his eyes rolled back, and he was about to lose consciousness for thest time ever but before that could happen, he bit his tongue, drawing blood and returning to full focus once again.

    He was in time to evade the second stomp that almost would have been his end, still rolling on the ground he rolled once again in between the legs of the scavenger.

    With unusual luck, he found his fallen mace, quickly he grabbed it. He performed spinning attack, whileunching all of his vigor into it that single strike.

    He aimed at the back of the monster''s knee, although it might not have joints like regr creatures it''s still needed something to put its weight into in order to move.

    The monster waspletely unprepared, and due to missing the stump attack on Esdras it was out of bnce the strike could not havended at a better time.

    All with the sound of a gigantic collision, the entirety of the leg under the knee waspletely broken. It must''ve fell down in a heap.

    Esdras seeing his chance he lunged for a final strike, but the monster was not distracted by it''s missing leg.

    ? In that moment, the Scavenger''s head turned backwards like an owl and from that oblong head white mist wasunched like cone in the area of 9 meters around.

    [Vetaran''s hunch] activated only a moment before that. Thanks to that warning Esdras used all his strength to turn back and sprint as far as possible, however, even with his enhanced, agility and body it was toote.

    He felt a tingling feeling as his joints and body grew stiff and cold. He could only take three steps before he fell down paralyzed.

    ?

 Chapter 49 The Boss Of The Second Floor (3)

    Esdras could only moved his eyes around uselessly, he lost all other feeling of his body¡­ or not, apparently he could still hear.

    Unfortunately the sound that registered in his mind was of his iing doom.

    The Scavenger was an untiring machine with a singr goal, that being his elimination. It gave no heed to it''s missing leg and crawled over to his slumped body.

    There was no doubt he would be crushed to death or be added to one of the spikes on it''s armored body. And yet even knowing this his body didn''t respond.

    Esdras was powerless to do anything to stop or move in any way, he counted in his mind and realized that the monster had note for him even in two minutes.

    Another excruciating minutes passed and Esdras began to feel feeling in his body. Once again, it was like sitting on a dead knee only his entire body was dead.

    The first thing he did was take a deep breath when his body was paralyzed, he could still breathe, but in incredibly steady breaths that were out of his control.

    He turned around to the noiseing from behind him, and saw the scavenger wing at the wide open gate of the boss room and yet it was unable to pass through an invisible wall.

    Esdras had managed to leave the boss room in thest minute, hoping that the boss will be trapped in the room. It was a gamble and the risk, however, at that time he had no choice but to take it.

    Fortunately, his guess was right honestly, it was a close call.

    That that, [Dulling mist] was is a very powerful skill itpletely paralyzed him for three minutes. In a life and death battle that was no different from an execution.

    It was an unexpected skill from the name alone he thought it might slow him down shouldn''t be called [paralyzing breath] instead.

    He had his own guess as to why it resulted in that effect this was likely because of the difference, in rank between him and the monster. Bing rank 1 He had no resistance to the skills of a rank 2 monster.

    Perhaps a being of the same rank wouldn''t have been paralyzed or at least not for that long.

    In that bathroom just now he felt what it was like to go against a being of a higher rank. Despite his increased power and strength, he was outmatched by that monster.

    In fact, if not for his passive skill [Vitality Lv.2] and he''s abundant Vigor that fused with his body recently he would have been dead in a single strike.

    Not that he was in a good condition right now in fact, many of his upper body bones were outright broken. Thankfully, he had a few health potions.

    Enduring the pain wrecking his body he chugged two potions at once and decided to leave one for emergencies. Then he took one stamina potion and closed his eyes.

    He brought few potions because he also got others things and because he had a limited amount of things he could carry. That will change once he was able to use his Storage ring.

    Esdras couldn''t go back to get more potions because the trip would cost him time, hours and he was afraid that the boss monster would return to full health if he was absent for too long.

    But he had another solution to his problem. He was going to advance to the Vigor core realm right now. This breakthrough should elevate him to rank 2.

    Fighting and winning above your own rank, was not an easy thing. It was not something simple or something that can happen every day.

    Novels and anime made it seem like a joke but it was far from it. That is not to say it was impossible, rather very very difficult. He did deal some serious damage on his own just now, but it was not enough far from it in fact.

    That monsters, body and strength along with inhuman physiology, made it true monster that was, without even mentioning its various abilities.

    Esdras had no intention to test his luck again since he couldn''t win the first time he decided to breakthrough at once.

    Within a second he focused his mind and consumed 520 EXP at once reducing his stash to 319 EXP. but right now he could care less about any of that.

    He felt the amount of vigor within him increase exponentially, his eyes started to glow with the sky-blue light of Vigor. But it didn''t stop at that.

    Suddenly his vigor started spinning faster and faster to the point where it left him dizzy. His muscles and bones started wriggling, his blood vessels expanding.

    The vigor that once covered his entire body was all consumed by the vortex within him and suddenly and incredibly huge pressure was felt all over his body simr to when he was stomped on by that monster.

    That pressure soon focused under his navel and with a terrible pain his flesh was cut and shaped into a small aperture. The vortex of vigor thenpressed further and turned into a sky blue core within the aperture.

    Esdras opened his eyes and wiped away his sweat. Honestly, it was useless because he was nasty right now in the fight with that scavenger he was covered with the blood of the many bodies that were crushed in that fight.

    He stood up and took a look at his stats.

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    Race: Human (world wyrm)

    Title: Pioneer

    Rank: 2

    sses: 1) Apprentice mage Lv.2 (0/230 EXP)

    2) Vigor core Lv.1 (0/720 EXP)

    Physique: 5

    Agility: 4

    Intelligence: 3

    Spirituality: 3

    Mana: 0

    Vigor: 6

    Origin points: 5

    EXP: 319

    Mystical talent: 3 (0/8 OP)

    Martial talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    Stat points: 7

    Skill point: 5

    Skills:

    1) passive skills:

    a) Vitality Lv.3

    b) Veteran''s hunch Lv.2

    c) Third eye Lv.2

    2) Active skills/ spells:

    a) Prating Vigor Lv.1(0/50 EXP)

    He ascended to rank 2 as expected, his stats also experienced a jump, his strength and agility only though which is understandable.

 Chapter 50 The Boss Of The Second Floor (4)

    There were many changes that urred because of his breakthrough. Like getting two skill points and three stat points all at once, simr to when he first became a Vigor knight.

    His vigor had not only increased in quantity, it hadpletely transformed into a much more advanced form. Although he didn''t test it yet, he could simply tell.

    Two of his passive skills increased by a level, [Vitality] and [Vetaran''s hunch]. And he finally got his first active skill!

    As if that was not enough he could actually use EXP to level up active skill. This meant that skill point were better off spent on passive skills.

    Esdras didn''t immediately get in to fight the boss despite the urge that almost overwhelmed him. He held back because his body had be almost foreign to him.

    This was too great of a change that happened in too short a time.

    So, he forced himself to get some exercise. It was only now that he knew how lucky he was to escape from the scavenger.

    By his estimation, even five of his former self wouldn''t have won if the scavenger used his Dulling mist earlier.

    Clearly this thing was not a pure monster as it had some kind of mechanical aspect to it.

    Shacking off these thoughts he dragged along his mace and jumped through the gate.

    The scavenger had returned to stacking and disintegrating bodies even with one of it''s legs lost. This was a better result than he expected, he thought it might have some kind of method to reattach it or something.

    As soon as he entered the room the boss turned around and fired another shot of Dulling mist in the area around it indiscriminately, this tactic effectively kept Esdras at a distance.

    On the other hand the monster was also forced to stay in ce when it was firing the mist.

    If Esdras could cast some spells he could have attacked and finished the job there and then but he was not a True mage yet.

    But, he was not powerless either, seeing a chance he rotated his mace in his hands. At first it was slow but soon it was much faster than a modern fan, the mist around him scattered.

    The scavenger couldn''t keep releasing that mist for a long time.

    Suddenly Esdras turned into several thin lines and vanished, his newfound speed was on full disy as he crossed ten meters in two seconds.

    The two arms of the scavenger shot at him, the monster was not ordinary either. Each palm was like the harbinger of death, capable of unleashing unreasonable force.

    However Esdras dodged each one and they both shot forward once again in unpredictable directions and bending in freaky angles.

    Esdras narrowed his eyes at the annoying interruption and used a tested strategy.

    He grabbed hold onto one of the arms after it struck the ground, after brushing by his side, and held it in ce.

    The other hand attempted to attack him then, he smirked, this is what he wanted to see. Quickly, he changed his position behind the arm while still holding it down.

    The monster attacked itself in screeching collision, Esdras looked at the result. It was fractured, evidently that hit was not strong enough to destroy it at once, luckily he was ready to solve that issue.

    As if realization dawned on the construct it tried to pull back, however it was already toote.

    The mace glowed with Vigor and radiated sky-blue light that turned into an arc of blinding light.

    That was one of the major changes in the Vigor core realm, in this stage he was able to channel vigor outside of his body and into his weapon for increased attack power.

    The attack destroyed the fractured arm with no resistance whatsoever, it was already in a bad shape, but didn''t stop there. The vigor arc traveled in the air and shattered the other arm too.

    Esdras was not about to let the momentum you painstakingly built, go to waste with a single step. He was closer than ever to the main body of the monstrous scavenger.

    He channeled his vigor throughout his whole body, with ease, bringing his physical and mental condition to a peak. The air was as if it was split with a sword.

    And yet, when he was about tond the finishing blow, he hesitate. It was an instinctive reaction.

    The scavenger begun to glow with an eerie light, the green glow simr to the to the one within its own eyes, covered with remainder of its body like a protective shell, and yet he had seen it before.

    Without a doubt if he came into contact with it, even for a very short moment, the damage would not be something that a low level health wash, and could heal.

    However, he could not retreat now the speed at which he was going, would not allow him perhaps if he had taken a longer time to get to know his body better he might have been able to do something about it.

    But there was no such thing, as if in this world.

    He could feel it in the air, the tension or an unbelievable amount of pressure surround the two of them.

    With a bloodthirsty grin, Esdras pointed his mace in the same way he was going to from the beginning. This was not a gamble. He knew what he was doing.

    "[Prating Vigor!]"

    With that roar, his momentum doubled and vigor within his core with unleashed territorial wave and yet it was inplete harmony with his body.

    The Vigor around the mace turned into a perfect line surrounding the mace in a moment, as opposed to the chaotic form it was in before. Now it looked like the work of a master sculptor.

    The Shocking spark around the scavenger was not trivial at all, it defended against the skill and held on for ten seconds before it gave in.

    The breaking of the steel stone construct was not in a loud explosion. Instead it was a clean cut, like a hot knife through butter.

    [+280 EXP]

 Chapter 51 Consecutive Breakthroughs

    Esdras jumped up in the air and roared. This was a moment to cheer.

    His victory was not easy in the least, if he had not crippled the scavenger in that first encounter, he might not have been able to win that easily.

    Admittedly, what he did in thest moment was slightly risky, but there was no such thing as a fight without risk. If he wanted to win and gain the rewards of victory, he had to endure some risk no matter what.

    Two bigger than normal treasure chests appeared as the body of the scavenger started to dissipate.

    Somethings got his attention, he saw an ethereal chain, connected to the scavengers, somehow from the back.

    Oddly enough he did not see it before this moment it went downwards into the ground, and yet it seemingly disappear through it like a nonmaterial object.

    The chain reminded him of the hundreds of chains connected to the sarcophagus underground however he decided to put this metal behind him since thinking about it was useless for someone like him.

    Instead, he decided to focus on something much more practical like the residence in his sea of consciousness.

    For some reason, the process of engraving the sigils I was going on at a much faster pace than expected. It wasn''t going to take another day. It was happening now.

    Without even enough time to check out the treasure chest, he sat down cross legged, and entered meditation at once.

    Within his self consciousness, he could see his spiritual energy, moving at a unprecedented speed, and yet there was not a single mistake.

    In the past he was like a newbie painter that just got his hand on his first empty canvas, he was constantly hesitant about what colors to use and what sort of painting he wanted to paint.

    However, now that feeling of confusion and trepidation vanished. Instead, it was reced with self assurance and confidence. It was a subconscious matter. It was the result of his recent achievement of defeating the boss.

    It was not like a massive jump, but it certainly hastened the process after all bing stronger faster was always a good thing. Well, most of the time.

    Another attribute that made the whole process, much easier with the synchronization between his spiritual energy and sea of consciousness, after his breakthrough to rank 2 it was even more so.

    Even the strangely swirling sea of consciousness was now moving at a faster pace.

    In in two hours the process that trouble to have the most was over. The four elemental schedules wereplete.

    He could see them shining each with a different color, the fire with orange-red the earth, with brown, the air with green, the water with pure blue.

    Having done that, he didn''t stop to rest. He had to continue the advancement. The hard part was over, and now the easy part.

    Maniption, control, manifestation These were the three secondary sigils that needed to bebined with each of the primary sigils.

    Naturally these sigils were much lessplicated.

    Following his will, his massive, spiritual energy started engraving the secondary sigils. It did not take long each triplet took only one hour.

    Four hourster he was done engraving them into his a sea of consciousness next, he started the fusion process.

    He started being very careful removing thepleted secondary sigils one by one and cautiously fusing them with the primary sigils.

    ording to the teachings in the tower this should be a very sensitive process, but he quickly found out that it was not a big deal at all for some reason the primary sigils fused with the secondary sigils almost on their own.

    By the end, he was just carelessly throwing everypleted secondary sigil. In a few minutes, everything waspleted and his mind experienced a fantastical phenomenon. If only for a moment, it was a feeling of rity.

    The mana in the environment that he had been consciously and subconsciously, keeping at bay all this time was finally allowed in. The mana rushed into his body and to his sea of consciousness like a tidal wave.

    He felt an earth shaking roar irrupt from somewhere it was like suddenly gaining a new limb, the mana seeped into each of thepleted elemental sigils and began filling them up. They were only filled up to 20%.

    When itpletely feels them up to 100% a transformation will ur and then he would be a True mage. Technically speaking.

    Esdras took a look at his stats and sure enough he had advanced to be a level three apprentice mage. The next level required 460 EXP. His mana stat was now 2 instead of 0.

    But rather thanment he stood up and flexed his hand. Fire burned on his hand, but he did not feel the heat at all, with another thought the fire grew and grew, reflecting its light on his face.

    What is other hand he conjured water and with another thought both fire and water disappeared reced by chunks of rocks and a spinning line of greenish air.

    Three new active skills were added:

    1) Control Lv.1 (0/50 EXP)

    2) Maniption Lv.1 (0/50 EXP)

    3) Manifestation Lv.1 (0/50 EXP)

    Sweet. Since he had no way to learn spells here in the wild, he would have to rely on these three basic skills to imitate spells.

    Obviously, the three skills represented how much of these elements he could conjure, and how much he could control said elements. The maniption skill probably refers to how much he could change the elements.

    For example, how hot the mes he conjured were and how sharp a wind de was.

    That being said, he did not hesitate to spend 150 EXP at once, taking all three skills to level two.

    1) Control Lv.2 (0/120 EXP)

    2) Maniption Lv.2 (0/120 EXP)

    3) Manifestation Lv.2 (0/120 EXP)

    Esdras thought this was enough to guarantee safety until he returned to the tower, but then he remembered Ishtar''s warning and the weird things happening in the forest right now.

    He hesitated for a moment, but then a cold light of resolve shed in his eyes.

 Chapter 52 Amazing Loot

    Esdras decided not to hold anything back anymore. Anyway, he was going to recoup his losses soon.

    With that being said, he''s consumed 360 EXP on those three skills to bring them all to level three. That left him with only 89 EXP.

    He was poor again.

    However, now that he spent that amount of EXP he strangely felt a sense of peace with another thought. He spent another 50 EXP on [prating vigor] bringing it to level 2 as well.

    Throughout this whole time, his body and energy was going through multiple changes as if he had training himself throughout the years I''ve gained all of this legitimately.

    Maybe that was the true nature of EXP. It was strangely mysterious, as if it brought him the results that he would have achieved anyway only in the future. Experience.

    Are thinking about the three skills maniption manifestation and control. The skills were very basic. Evidently that is why level three apprentices get them.

    But there was something weird about them too, even the True mages including senior Ron did not have any of these skills at level 3.

    Esdras thought that because these skills were basic, didn''t mean that they were unimportant. In fact, it was the exact opposite the way he understood it anyway.

    Isn''t mastering the basics foundation to mastering, advanced skills and spells?

    Of course, Esdras didn''t think that he was smarter or better than the people who study testing for much longer than he. So it might have been a waste of EXP.

    However, in the current situation and present danger, he had no other choice.

    It was frustrating, knowing that he could not only advance to level four apprentice, but even bing a True mage and and it still wouldn''t increase hisbat power that much.

    A True mage was like a power nt that has so much power it could do anything however, it''s still relied on electrical appliances for it to be truly useful.

    This was his situation without any spells as a True mage he would be like a cripple. Of course his magical output and control over the elements would transform several levels higher than what he was capable of currently as a mere apprentice.

    With these considerations in mind he decided that as soon as he got enough EXP, he was going to use it and be a True mage.

    After all, it was better to be even a little bit stronger, and who knows maybe with the prestige of that level he could weasel his way into the fort without being out here on the front lines.

    Even with all the danger, you reckoned that the fortress must be the safest ce.

    Having felt all the changes that went through his body and mind, he reached into his shirt and took out a ck ring that was inscribed with many mysterious runes.

    His spiritual power entered into the ring and felt a reaction. This meant that it was truly a magical item, next, both his mana and spiritual energy filled the entire ring and inscribed a spiritual imprint on it, making it he''s Owen item in truth.

    This may have looked like an easy process because it was, the ring had no owners, so it was very easy, but if someone took the ring from him and try to take ownership of it, it won''t be as easy at all.

    Usually to steal a magic item takes a fairly tedious amount of effort to erode the spiritual inscription of the original owner over a long amount of time.

    Of course, there was the brute method if the thief possessed an overwhelming advantage over the original owner.

    Naturally, the easiest way is to directly kill the owner first and then take their things.

    With that being done, he opened the two treasure chests. The first one had a strange silver orb that looked as if it was made of silver and water simultaneously.

    [Tenfold steel mable slime: umon grade item, an item that was forged by two brothers, an alchemist and a cksmith. It has the ability to consume all sorts of metals and incorporate their properties onto itself. It is a growth type item created with the purpose to avoid the attention of Higher beings.]

    Holding it in his hand, was unlike anything he ever touched before. It was a rare grade item. Without any ado, he branded it with his spiritual and minor mark as well.

    Suddenly it was as if this thing hade to life, the form stabilized into perfectly spherical without any ws.

    To test its ability, he brought his mace closer to it and following hismand, this vehicle slime spread all over the mace within two seconds the entirety of the mace disappeared,pletely swallowed by the fist-sized slime.

    With another thought, the slime distorted and turned into his mace. This was not the same weapon exactly it only look the same but right now it was not much heavier or bulkier, it just didn''t need any cleaning anymore.

    Responding to another order, slime distorted for a moment, and then turned into a longsword, a great sword, a spear, a scimitar, a bow. All were of that same weight, not much heavier than his own mace.

    A growth magic item was simply unheard of in this world, as long as he found rare and special magical metals, and fed them to this slime then it had a boundless future, and perhaps it could even follow him throughout his entire journey.

    He opened the next chest with slight anticipation. It did not disappoint. It was stuffed with 100 basic mana stones.

    Mana stones were grades from basic, low, intermediate, high, superior and supreme.

    Basic mana stones were used as a sort of currency by mages, a single basic mana stone was worth 25 gold.

    Naturally, he still had the two intermediate mana stones in his possession. These were much more valuable, and he was going to make sure to use them at the right time.

    He collected the treasure chest containing the mana stones directly into his storage ring.

 Chapter 53 Midnight Snack

    Haven''t been done with that yet gazed at the gate leading to the third-floor, which is also thest.

    Going through all of that has been a very tiring experience, but he was determined to clear the dungeon today.

    As for his exhaustion? He had a few stamina potions do you say this kind of situations.

    But of course, he still had to retrieve his backpack from outside of the pyramid and then return back to the real world to bring in some water and food.

    The fist sized slime turned into a ring, and this one was silver. It was a very convenient item.

    When he first entered the dungeon, it was at Sunset and he didn''t have any food then. So, despite spending so much time in the dungeon, there was still sometime before dawn.

    Hopefully you could clear the dungeon tonight if not, at least he could explore most of it and pinpoint the boss room.

    So the first went back outside of the pyramid, naturally he took much less time. Only 20 minutes thanks to his enhanced speed and greater knowledge of the structure of the pyramid.

    His backpack had his precious potions and a magic item that he was unable to use before, the [Rangers badge].

    This item could shoot ten arrows at his designated target. If he was a ranger, then he could imbued the arrows with several effects, but since he wasn''t, he would have to settle for elemental enhancement.

    Actually, he did not even know what Rangers were, since the original host had no idea. From the looks of it it should be apletely different ss than Vigor knights and mages.

    But this world did not have any other sses, such a magic item seemed out of ce.

    When his thoughts reach here, he felt strange, ominous, tingling, as if something was scratching at the inside of his own head.

    A momentter the feeling vanished confusing Esdras slightly.

    Now with his things secured safely, he decided to get a look at the third-floor first for leaving to get supplies and take a bit of a break.

    He just wanted to take a look and not really do anything else. It was more of a response to curiosity as to what thest and final floor of this dungeon was going to be like.

    Pushing open the gate easily as usual, he found himself staring at the bridge a very thin along bridge made of unknown materials. There were several statues of important-looking people on both sides of the bridge.

    At the end of the bread there was a domed building. And that was it there was nothing else but darkness.

    Mastering his courage, he peered over the side of the bridge I need he couldn''t see anything. It was a strange kind of darkness. It was not as if the lights went out, but as light never existed.

    Moreover, he knew there was no trick, no trap and the domed building at the end of the bridge was the boss room of the third and final floor.

    He did not know what to think about this, perhaps it was good that his task was about to be finished. Another thing that got his attention was the fact that this was part of the pyramid.

    He expected to be teleported to a different environment, but that was not the case this time.

    With mixed feelings, he crossed over through the purple vortex by the gate, and returned to the real world to his tent.

    He got out of the tent and drank some water, and filled his belly with grilled wild boar. One good thing about this forest is that it was rich with meat, so they will never sort of good food.

    And seeing that everyone was asleep, he sneakily took one bottle of water along with jerky, cheese and bread.

    This amount of food and water was overkill but hey, his habit of overthinking didn''t just go away aftering to a new world.

    While taking a break under the light of the full moon he suddenly noticed something unusual.

    After achieving the Vigor core realm all of his sentence, including is sixth sense were amplified and enhanced so he was able to hear the steady breaths of the 10 soldiers were sharing a tent.

    Yet he could not hear any breath from Tara''s tent at all. Not slow, not fast not steady, nothing.

    The reason he didn''t noticed immediately was because he himself was not yet used to his new self. But after staying outside for a while, he was able to pick on that unusual pattern.

    With furrowed eyebrows, he opened the tent p, as expected, she was gone. She had picked up a perfect timing.

    Although she may not know what he was doing in the tent, but she must have noticed that he would be busy or unavable in these times.

    However, he could not help but feel that something was wrong. This was an incredibly stupid move. Just like Bran, he was going to brand her a deserter.

    After that, where could she hide?

    Abruptly, the sound of a twig breaking alerted him to someone approaching the camp. He got out to take a look.

    Unexpectedly, the visitor was not very familiar face, it was Reid. He was the leader of a group of apprentices that wanted to escape the tower they invited him, and he refused to join them.

    He had expected them to live a long time ago, the best chance was when the fort was in chaos when a True mage came injured.

    "Esdras? You''re awake? I thought you would be asleep at this time." he said, looking stiff.

    "Yeah, I was looking for a midnight snack. What about you? I thought you would have escaped already." Esdras smiled politely.

    "Oh?¡­ I just wanted toe here and apologize about what happenedst time. We decided that running was not going to work as you said. So, I wanted to invite you for a drink to make up for it, why note to our camp? The other guys also want to apologize."

    "Oh, really?"

 Chapter 54 My Heart Is Still Too Weak

    "Oh, really is that why they all came with you?" Esdras asked with a ghostly smile. "Wow, you guys must feel really sorry for this many people toe, let''s see¡­ forty? No, fifty."

    Upon hearing his words Reid''s face paled and he took two steps back.

    From the beginning, Esdras was able to tell that arge group of people hid in the shadow of the woods behind Reid thanks to his enhanced senses.

    Honestly, he was d that it was these guys and not something else entirely.

    But even now Esdras was not sure why they came to him at this hour. It was clear they didn''t have any good intentions, but he wasn''t sure why?

    "So, want to tell me what this is all about?" he asked looking very calm, not at all intimidated.

    Reid looked very conflicted, as if he didn''t like the situation any better than he did.

    "Listen, this is not personal." Reid said as that''s the group behind him started to reveal themselves and nk him from both sides.

    "It''s true, what I said just now. We didn''t realize that escaping was futile with our abilities it was no different than a death sentence. So because we don''t want to die, our only option was¡ª"

    "¡ª to be ves, right?" Esdras concluded. " so I assume all if you want to be my ves? Do you want me to protect all of you in the Rite of passage?"

    Reid shook his head, " don''t you realize the situation that you are in right now? This is not the time for jokes you may have some talent as a vigor knight, but that doesn''t mean you will pass."

    Naturally, they did not know that I previously useless Esdras had already be a level 3 apprentice, on the verge of bing a True mage any minute now.

    " we were approached by someone who can ensure our survival. Although it''s a bitter fate, living is still better than being dead." Reid said looking very exhausted.

    "So, is this a favor for that person? Did he tell you to beat me up? No, perhaps to kill me in exchange?" Esdras shrugged.

    Reid remained silent, and the rest didn''t seem keen on sharing either.

    "Come on, Reid, can''t you tell me? I will be dying here today anyway, right? I deserve to know who orchestrated my death, at least."

    ? Esdras pleaded, looking resigned with his own death. Seeing him like this Reid looked regretful.

    "I can''t, we were promised him not to say anything the fact that I took the time to exin all this to you, is already treading on the red line."

    "Well, let me guess. OK you don''t have to answer." Esdras looked like he was thinking hard about something and then he pped his hand exaggeratedly, "Robert? Does that name ring a bell?"

    Reid looked surprised for a moment, which was answering enough for Esdras.

    Once again, he could not help but think that this was a good scheme. Using someone else''s hand to dispose of an enemy, was always a good strategy, but this was even better.

    On one hand, all he had to give is a promise that he hadplete control over whether to fulfill it or not.

    If he didn''t, then he could probably dispose of most witnesses to his scheme to kill another apprentice in the Rite of passage.

    And even if he did, he could probably protect a few of them, at the end they would be his eternal ves.

    Even if they failed through this attempt, he would get a better idea of Esdras''s strength.

    After all Esdras survived two attempts so far, this made Robert very cautious. Rather than go for another attempt himself, he would use them without any consequences on himself.

    In fact, even if Esdras captured a few of them and took them to senior Ron and they confessed, Robert wouldn''t face any repercussions.

    So what if Robert told them to break the tower rules? He himself did not break any rules.

    It was a good move, and he probably didn''t think of it on the fly. Robert was very crafty, and he could endure humiliation.

    Of course, there was a feeling of improvisation slightly as if this attack happened earlier than it was supposed to.

    He could not help but think of the absent Tara. Perhaps what happened today forced Tara two run to Robert. She must have felt that Esdras was resolved in killing her.

    Esdras looked at these kids and sighed. He was angry despite his smiling expression.

    Back then they told him of the n he had the urge to report them to Senior Ron. If he did that, then he could have gained a bit of recognition I''ve gotten into the higher ups good graces.

    But thinking that they were in a tough spot, he decided to follow his heart and let them go. Who could have expected this to happen?

    No, maybe he was the only one blind to this possibility. He could not yet assimte to this world. He was still living as if he was on earth.

    I know he had to kill them with his own hands, he was mostly angry at himself for being weak, and he decided to release that rage on these backstabbing bastards.

    And in his heart he vowed to never allow himself to be in such a situation ever again.

    With a thought, the silver ring on his right hand moved and transformed into a great broad sword. It waspletely ridiculous in size, such a sword, could only appear in video games.

    The apprentice is around him, all gasped and took several steps back, their weapons still undrawn.

    "W-wha-"

    "When did he¡ª"

    "Are you seeing this?!"

    His eyes much colder than any steel red at them, the sharp sword produced ringing in the air.

    However, before he could go on with his business, Esdras''s muscles stopped in mid motion, and he took two steps to the side quickly.

    It happened in the blink of an eye, a bone spear pierced through seven apprentices and skewered them like shish kebab.

    The sphere stab them into the earth after losing its moment, the seven apprentices all still moved slightly, unaware that they were already dead.

    "Oh, dear~ my hand slipped~"

 Chapter 55 Crisis (1)

    The bone spear was three meters long and for it to be that fast and even make that hole in the ground after killing seven people it was definitely a spell.

    This alone is enough for Esdras to estimate the level of the opponent. However, he was actually slightly confused Robert actually hired a True mage to kill him?

    No, that didn''t make any sense. He did not have to think about this right now, he had to figure out how to survive.

    He did not make a move because he didn''t dare to, he wasn''t scared of that one True mage but because there were three others with him releasing the same amount of mana.

    A True mage was already a difficult opponent and against four of them, there was no hope at all. He could not think of a way out yet.

    Moreover, there was something else that trouble it was that bone spear, which one of the four elements was that? Obviously it was not something that belongs to the magic system he knew of.

    This was something bigger than he anticipated.

    The four of them walked out of the woods, very slowly the fools around him, or in a state of shock but then they all took out their weapons, and started roaring.

    "That''s cute."

    One of the four intruders said and suddenly a huge pressure pressed on everyone. It was him releasing his mana outwardly.

    Yet that was enough to stifle any thoughts of resistance in the apprentices. Of course it was different for Esdras since he was a rank 2 as well.

    But¡­ he copied their reactions, holding his head and softly groaning.

    The man walking in the front was bold and had sinister smile, as if he was enjoying himself very much. He had three bone nes around his neck they looked like small bones as if they belong to chicken or mice.

    Esdras didn''t waste any time he sneakily used his [Third eye] on all of them. This ability was very important to determine his foes levels and gouge some of their abilities.

    [Name: Vervain]

    Race: hybrid human

    Rank: 2

    ss: Blight warlock- Bone caster

    Physique: 1

    Agility: 2

    Intelligence: 6

    Spirituality: 5

    Mana: 7

    Spells: Bone spurs Lv.2, Skeletal shift Lv.1, Erge Lv.2, Bone shrapnel mayhem Lv.2

    He was indeed not an elemental mage, so these were the ck mages he heard so much about. Coincidently, although everyone knew how infamous they were, the details about them was shrouded in mystery.

    Although he was in an extremely dangerous situation for a fleeting moment, he felt a sense of excitement. As someone who read many novels and yed many games he thought that the magic of this world was a little too basic.

    But it looks like there was more to this world than he thought indeed, he had not spent much time in this world after all.

    However, these choice thoughts came to an end as quickly as they sprung in his mind.

    "All right, there''s nothing here but small fries. I thought there was something serious since I sensed many people."

    A slightly chubby housewife-looking woman remarked.

    "Well, this is not fun let''s go you guys don''t have too much fun and quickly catch up with us."

    A man, with a scar under his left eye, said, and departed with the chubby woman, leaving the bold man and a sleepy, looking young man.

    Esdras was relieved to see the two of them go, and he hoped another one will go too. But he was not that lucky.

    "Now then let us get this party started." The bald man said with a smile. " what are you guys still doing here? Are you frozen with fear? Do you want to die like this? I change my mind. I will let you all go. Noe on you''re free."

    Esdras felt a chill in his heart at the sadistic smile on the bald man''s lips. He was definitely not going to let them escape so easily.

    "R-really? You''re going to let us go?" one of the fools asked na?vely.

    " oh yes, of course you have my word on it." The man nodded.

    The apprentices exchange looks hesitating, but then they started to run everywhere. Esdras narrowed his eyes and did it move an inch.

    Why everyone was running away he saw the bald man taking the three bones from his ne and throwing them in the air randomly, however, there was also an incredible mana reaction.

    [Bone shrapnel mayhem!]

    Suddenly the three bones erged, but not too much not like the spear. Instead, they became slightly bigger than a fist, and started spinning in the air levitating with mana.

    And then, with the screeching wind, the bones turned into devastating weapons of ughter. With a terrifying speed and power behind each one, they tore through the backs of the flying apprentices.

    Killing 20 apprentices in a single moment, the others all fell back freight in beyond their minds. Some of them started crying. Some of them begged for their parents. Others called to gods for help.

    The bones then returned back to the man, who at first had a joyous expression, but then he became angry.

    "What the fuck is this? Is this all you have?! Where is your will to survive! God, dammit! Back when I was young, I would never have given up tsk, tsk."

    Esdras saw that attacked just now and realized that, despite his speed and in human agility and reflexes, he would not have been able to escape.

    Perhaps he would not have been killed instantly, but he would have been injured heavily, especially if three of these bone spurs game at him at once.

    Giving his back to them was absolutely not the right thing to do, making more distance between them, was basically helping them.

    "Respected, sir!"

    Hearing and unexpectedly clear and powerful voice, the bald man looked at one of the apprentices, who didn''t escape. He had a shy sword, and was kneeling on both his knees.

    "Let me join you!"

 Chapter 56 Crisis (2)

    Oddly enough, this apprentice dared to look him directly in the eye, so he was slightly interested in hearing what he had to say. On another note, maybe this guy was not an apprentice at all he looked more like a knight.

    Esdras had a solemn expression, "I am willing to join you! Please ept me and spare my life. As proof of my loyalty, I will now kill my fellow apprentices."

    Reid was one of the apprentices who did not run away he just huddle down in fear. When he heard these words, he felt so confused that he overcame his fear to look at Esdras.

    Esdras in return did not bother with them his expression suddenly contorted in a mixture of anger and disgust.

    "The Octarine tower is a barbaric and evil organization, they kidnap children from their homes, if they have a little bit of talent, and in force their corrupt ideals on themon people. I have wanted to escape for a long time."

    Hearing these words, the apprentices around didn''t know if they were dreaming or not. Wasn''t this the guy who refused to join them in the escape attempt just a few days ago?

    The bald man and thezy young man had abused expressions. The bald man snickered, "well, go on then kill your friends, kill your preciousrades, and prove yourself!"

    He wanted to see friends turn on each other, ugly faces, and then even uglier choices in the face of life and death. It was truly one of the few things that brought him through pleasure life.

    Heughed andughed even harder when he saw the look of conflicting emotions on Esdras''s face.

    Esdras turned around and used his great broadsword and he shed the necks of several apprentices lying prone out of fear. Although his expression looked hesitant, his actions were far from it.

    With ruthless abandon he killed several of them even the ones who tried to run away. Throughout he only disyed the power of a newly initiated Vigor knight, intentionally.

    The two True mages had cunning looks when they saw Esdras chasing after the escaping apprentices, they thought that he wanted to use this chance, and escape himself after making some distance between them.

    And yet contrary to their expectations he came back right after to finish off the ones who are prostrating close by.

    This served to change their expectations. As for him being a Vigor knight? Naturally, they didn''t care. To them that was hardly any different from a Mortal.

    Reid was one of the apprentices who witnessed Esdras''s execution, and realize they would have died anyway he was much stronger than they thought, and much more merciless.

    Mastering up his desire for survival, he tried to say something, "W-wait! That guy! You can''t trust him he''s¡ª"

    The little bastard was actually trying to warn the ck mages about Esdras, at which point he increased his feet slightly and beheaded him on the spot. He was a cunt to the end.

    Seeing that headless corpse of their leader, for many apprentices ran towards their only hope the ck mages.

    "Me too! Me too! I want to join! I''m not like them!"

    "Please! Please!"

    it was exactly something like this, that he wanted to happen. This is why he targeted the scattered apprentices first.

    Esdras chased in the apprentices who were closing in on the ck mages and roared, "you won''t get away!"

    The two ck mages looked at the approaching apprentices like insects.

    It was at this moment that Esdras performed a white spinning sh attack It was so strong that it immediately killed over five apprentices.

    The two ck mages were taken back by the sudden outburst of power, that attack was simply too powerful for a vigor knight. And yet they weren''t able toplete their thoughts.

    They did not have the leisure to think further, as under the cover of the scatter guts and blood, a man cut through all that with double no it was triple the speed that he had disyed all the time.

    The most important aspect, when challenging enemies of greater number or strength, what is the element of surprise. It could change the oue of wars and the fate of nations.

    Eyes burning with determination. He crossed over, closed the distance between him and the two ck mages, his vigor was unleashed, is created ayer visible to the naked eye on the sword.

    "[Scattered bone spikes!]"

    However, the bald man already had several bones in his hand this whole time.

    Although they were slightly convinced by Esdras''s act, they were not amateurs. And they were ready for any situation that came up.

    So, despite all that nning, he will still stay up toote the spell was going to reach him before his sword reached the bald mage.

    Several tiny bones in his hand were crushed, and then scattered, and then transformed into much bigger spikes that each had a very sharp edge, and they were spinning with the power of a dark mana.

    Esdras did not change his trajectory nor did he slow down at all, as if he did not see the lethal attacking. Even with his great body he would bepletely incapacitated after taking such an attack hit on.

    Yet, something miraculous happened. A golden hallow appeared around him, blocking all the bones at once, and returning a rebound force on the stand bald man.

    This was thest use of the Halo of evasion, which he had already used twice to save his life. This was the real reason he was confident in his ambush.

    The rebound force sent the two men who are standing close to each other in different directions. Esdras targeted the bald man because he took most of the damage and was the weakest one of the two in this state.

    His sword burning with visible vigor cleaved him in half from the waist down, and once again from the head down to the crotch. Double tapping with a habit he developed as a gamer.

    Without taking a moment to celebrate, he turned around and sprinted to where the other ck mage fell.

    [Bone prison!]

    Unfortunately, the other one was much less injured, and had the time to recover very quickly, enough to cast a spell around himself.

    It was one usually used to hold enemies in ce, but he was creative enough to use it to protect himself.

    Even more annoying, he noticed a fiery red smoke signal has beenunched in the air by the warlock.

    Esdras cursed and turned back to runaway. He knew where to go.

 Chapter 57 Crisis (3)

    [+ 445 EXP]

    This was the total amount that you had gained in this ughter. It was decent at best. It was because he was outside of the dungeon that each apprentice only gave him 8 XP.

    And he killed 40 some of them managed to escape for real. This is because the ck mages didn''t care about letting them make a little bit of distance.

    But because he had killed one of them and forced the other into a defensive position. They had a real chance to escape, perhaps.

    Moreover, the ck mage only gave him 125 EXP. This was the pain of forming XP outside of a dungeon, it was now very clear with the benefits of his title were.

    I skipped over the bodies, left of the round and made a run for it to his tent, the soldiers were up and about as confused as everyone else was.

    Esdras didn''t bother to exin anything to them not that he had the time he jumped into his tent, and vanished, as if he had disappeared outright.

    The dungeon, what''s the best ce for Him to hide in, as for the conflict? Obviously, only those who are qualified can join in.

    Other than an exchange of benefits for loyalty he had no other ties to the Octarine tower. And he hasn''t yet received many benefits for him to justify risking his life when he felt he wasn''t ready to participate in this conflict.

    As long as spell casters had enough distance than meleebatants were at an absolute disadvantage.

    Not all rank 2 beings word of the same power obviously, in fact, he suspected that the differences were even a starker than rank 1.

    Esdras teleported to the boss room in the second floor, immediately after he rushed down the downstairs, but didn''t gopletely down. Instead, he held his sword and destroyed the staircase as he went back up.

    As for the trapped the staircase, he left it like that after all anyone who used it was very likely to die, or at the very least, be expelled back to the entrance of the pyramid.

    Esdras couldn''tpletely rx and let down his guard just because he was inside the dungeon. There was a slight possibility that he might get followed.

    It was the worst case scenario, but he had to be prepared either way.

    Now, he was very well aware that destroying that staircase was not enough to stop his pursuers if they were really determined.

    After all, they were spellcaster, they were bound to find a way given enough time.

    He was very confident in the second floor, traps and monsters, especially inside the pyramid. The mazelike structure was a nightmare to navigate through.

    And the trap rooms were nothing to scoff at either. All of these were only temporary measures.

    His true plot was to defeat the boss of the third floor and sessfully conquer the dungeon. At which point the monster is that he had previously killed we''re going to respawn and create all sorts of chaos.

    In the meantime, he was going to teleport out. Before any of that, he was going to advance to level 4 as an apprentice mage since he had enough EXP after the noble sacrifice of his fellow apprentices.

    Sitting down cross legged in the empty boss room he focus to summon the system and consumed 460 EXP in one go. Leaving him with only 24 EXP.

    He could feel and see a great amount of mana assimting into each of thepleted sigils in his sea of consciousness. From 20% to 50%.

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    Race: Human (world wyrm)

    Title: Pioneer

    Rank: 2

    sses: 1) Apprentice mage Lv.4 (0/1010 EXP)

    2) Vigor core Lv.1 (0/720 EXP)

    Physique: 5

    Agility: 4

    Intelligence: 4

    Spirituality: 5

    Mana: 4

    Vigor: 6

    Origin points: 5

    EXP: 24

    Mystical talent: 3 (0/8 OP)

    Martial talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    Stat points: 10

    Skill point: 7

    His mana and intelligence stats increased by one each, his spirituality increased by two points.

    With this change, he stood up and started training thanks to the high-level of his three skills, maniption, manifestation, and control he could now imitate spells even if he didn''t learn any.

    At the end of the day, old spells relied on the three foundational skills however, a spell was like a form. It already solve the problem, and he merely had to supply it with mana at the right nodes.

    Conversely, what he was trying to do right now, with an extremely difficult process of manipting and focusing on each aspect and process.

    This was a counterproductive effort that regr True mages had no need to go through. Esdras wouldn''t have done that either, but he had no other choice.

    On the other hand, after practicing, he found that this method allowed him an incredible level of freedom. He needed a few hours before he waspletely ready to face the final boss.

    ****

    Outside of the London by the camp, which belong to Esdras''s group, and five soldiers were already dead, and the rest were kneeling in a straight line in front of three ck-robed figures.

    "I will ask once again, did you say he disappeared into thin air?!"

    The soldiers shivered at the gruesome death of theirpanions. They wailed.

    " I swear sir, I swear on my mother soul is what I saw with my own eyes, sir!"

    The ck mages had incredibly ugly expressions, in fact, they believed the soldiers but didn''t know how toe to terms with this bullshit.

    A man vanished into thin air? That didn''t make any sense at all.

    And yet they already tortured enough, unless these soldiers were the loyal Dawnguard of legend then it could only be concluded that they were telling the truth.

    "Wait a minute what is this?" One of them pointed at the copsed in cave that the tent was built connected to.

    " are you trying to say that he went in there? Do you see an opening or something?"

    The only woman among them asked.

    "It looks like it copsed recently, do you know how it copsed? In fact, doesn''t it look really weird to be getting out of the ground in the middle of the forest like this?"

    "Oh! I know! I know!" One the soldiers jump at the chance to save his life, "I didn''t see it, but I heard the story of what happened. Actually, it might be rted to the apprentice you''re looking for."

    "Go, on." The man in the middle with a stern expression urged the soldier to exin himself.

 Chapter 58 Ramping Up

    The three ck mages had different expressions after listening to the story. Yet it seems like one of them, the ck mage who had a sleepy expression and survived Esdras''s sneak attack.

    His face was sweating heavily, and he would look behind his back every once in a while.

    "What''s gotten into you?"

    As if noticing his distress, the woman asked, and the stern looking man also paid attention to him.

    " it''s that guy I''m telling you he''s not normal."

    " are you embarrassed because you lost to a mortal?" The woman smirked.

    "that''s not it I''m telling you that guy may not have been a mage but he is not a mortal. His sword glowed in this strange light and his speed and power¡­ I haven''t seen vigor knight that can do that."

    "Sure, sure~"

    "Enough." The stern man reprimanded the woman, " while his abilities are questionable. His character is not. What concerns me is how he turned against his fellow apprentices just to buy himself the chance."

    After all, from their perspective they did not know about the conflict between Esdras and the others. To them it just look like a ruthless improvisation.

    They also couldn''t have known that Esdras benefited by gaining EXP.

    Even though they were ck mages they still had to take a step back and think.

    "Moreover the story about them surviving a cave-in like this is unlikely to be true. Even if he did, he would have died without air very quickly, unless he was able to dig himself out in time."

    They were all thinking, the same thing, but it was truly ridiculous. Even after investigating the cave carefully they did not see any opening from which a human can enter very easily.

    What are you some kind of ghost did he face in through the rocks and all but if it was so then why would he need to run at all?

    " should we leave? Isn''t it better for us to get back to the camp? Even if he got away it''s just one apprentice. Our true aim is the fortress." The sleepy looking man prompted.

    " no, he did to kill one of our own, a mere apprentice, that? Our faction would have lost a warlock in the most humiliating fashion. It will affect our standing, and we will lose our influence. If he had died in the fight, guess the fort then it could have been exined."

    The stern looking man also had his reasons, it was, because of how ridiculous of a death it was that he couldn''t ept it.

    Moreover, he was intrigued by this apprentice that managed to kill a warlock on his own.

    " start digging into the cave I want to see what exactly is in there."

    ****

    A fireball the size of a human head exploded against the wall, creating a burnt scorch mark and smoke.

    Esdras gazed at his hand in wonder, he did not understand the principles of magic here. With the fire ball was above his hand, he didn''t feel the heat that the fireball should rightfully possess.

    But when heunched it at this target, it exploded like it was made of actual mes.

    It was a strange thing then again, it would be really inconvenient if a fireball that he conjured burnt his hand first before he could evenunch it at his target.

    Several rocks, each the size of a fist, and with sharp edges floated above his head. Then they were each shot in order from first tost, while spinning in the air, creating an extremely powerful force.

    This was [stone bullet] it was originally a cantrip, that level four apprentices could learn. But of course, he didn''t learn, and he was using the three skills to imitate different spells.

    Evidently, as as each of the stones was as big as a first, as opposed to the original size of the Cantrip which was only the size of pebble.

    Moreover, he incorporated wind magic to make the spell Delia run faster. He wanted to control each of them in the air but unfortunately, he did not have enough control to do so.

    The easiest way to use magic was tounch it from a very close distance actually, the further the distance was the more control and mana I was needed to maintain to spell.

    And as a poor person who is not even a True mage he was doing pretty well.

    Now that he had finished training, he took a break before finally facing the boss of the dungeon. He drank some water and ate some bread and meat.

    However, seeing as he had some skill points to spare, what did he use them to increase the level of the three skills?

    If he was at this level right now, maybe with one more level in each of the three skills he could be a True mage in a practical sense.

    Seeing as he had nothing to lose, he tried to level up the three active skills. Active skills could be upgraded using EXP but they could also be upgraded normally with skill points.

    However, he couldn''t do it. A message popped up in the system.

    [Error,ck of qualifications!]

    Unfortunately, it was not possible. He did not even know what is qualifications were. This was also an indication that not everything could be done so easily.

    Hmm, it was probably because he needed to be a True mage to be able to ess higher levels.

    An idea suddenly urred to him. And it was very likely that the ck mages could find the dungeon. After all, the soldiers saw him disappear.

    If they were resolved in finding him, they might open up the cave they gave had the natural entrance to the dungeon, the one he first used when he first came in.

    Maybe he should have killed them before getting in the dungeon but he had no time, and he really wouldn''t have killed innocent people for no reason.

 Chapter 59 Final Dungeon Boss

    With his preparations done, he put on the [Rangers badge] and used one of the basic mana stones to restore his mana.

    He saw it was once again turned into a ring of silver, he walked through the gate again, and through the bridge to the gate of the boss of the dungeon.

    He did not have time to be impressed by the workmanship of the gate all the statues, he simply had to defeat this boss, and get out of here before the ck mages catch up to him.

    The gate opened.

    [Infested juggernaut Lv. 6]

    Rank: 2

    - low magic resistance Lv.1

    - Terrain smash Lv. 2

    - Infested rage Lv.1

    - poison spray Lv.3

    The boss of the dungeon was a fat knight, who also stood at 2.5 meters. He had a custom made armor that fit him perfectly. The armor style waspletely different from this world''s.

    He had a butchers knife for a weapon, except it was erged so much that it was longer than 3 meters.

    Hidden by the helm, he could only catch small glimpses of red crazed eyes, the monster produced terrifying howls and grunts. It had its spit leaking out of the bird-like helm.

    It lunged at him the moment he entered, Esdras charged at it for his part yet before theypletely collided, he jumped, and somersaulted in the air.

    While, still being in the air over the back of the juggernaut, his empty hand suddenly produced a great sword, burning with vigor directly first through the armor, and stab through the body of the juggernaut.

    But it was not deep enough, although it broke through the armor, it actually consumed much more power and force than he had expected. By the time the sword stabbed into the body of the monster, it had lost much of the power behind it.

    And the sword was stuck, however, immediately turned into a silver liquid and into a ring, once again in his hand. The first collision was over, and hended on his feet.

    The monster screeched in pain and stomped on the ground with its feet, causing several protrusions to appear in the entire battlefield.

    The sudden appearance, and change in the environment, underneath court him of guard, and he lost his bnce for a short moment.

    But even then, that was enough for the monster, who was agile to an insane degree, considering how fast he was.

    The butchers knife cut through his body, and immediately cleaved the right side of his body and stopping only at his corbone.

    If he did not have an enhanced physical body that one at that would have killed him at once.

    But this was still bad enough, however, he ignored the pain coursing through his body, and his empty hands produced a 3 meter long spear.

    In order to make it that long he had to make it extremely thin, and yet it was entirely covered in his vigor and pierced through the armor of the juggernaut once again.

    The juggernaut was probably confused as to how he managed to produce and Hide weapons at will.

    Esdras withdraw the spear and circled around the juggernaut to evade a second strike with a butchers knife, which caused the ground to shatter.

    He took that moment to why did the distance between them, and took a Health potion, and while one low level health portion was not enough to heal his injury immediately it could stop any further harm for the moment.

    After making up the distance, heunched a fireball at the juggernaut, which had to have grown sluggish, not showing that previous agility.

    It exploded and the fire and the air pressure whirled around it. But it was clearly not enough.

    And the sad thing about the spells he got was that each one took 10 seconds or more of preparation to Cast it.

    He continued to widen the distance between them heunched several stone bullets, unfortunately the juggernaut used it''s butcher''s sword to block them.

    Esdras rushed in once again, if he didn''t do anything, then this battle could be prolonged for a long time, which he did not want to see.

    You couldn''t stay far away, he was clearly losing more mana and stamina than the juggernaut. He had to change his strategy.

    In the meantime, his wound was healing up nicely perhaps, in several minutes, it could be back to normal.

    He crossed over the distance, extremely quickly and not to more stone bullets which the juggernaut once again blocked. But that was exactly what he wanted as when he did that it lost side of him.

    Suddenly a blue sh lit up the area, and a broad sword cut off its sword, wielding hand along with the butcher sword it fell on the ground green blood sprayed around.

    Esdras was in the line of the spread blood and noticed that his poison status bar started rising, it had poisonous blood. No matter.

    He climbed over the body of the staggering juggernaut, and stab through the gaps between the helmet and body armor of the juggernaut.

    Perhaps, if it was a normal stab, it would not have even harmed the juggernaut in the least. But it was not, it was done using [prating vigor]!

    Through the opening of the helmet, a green poisonous spray was spat on him directly, which immediately filled up the poison status bar.

    He was poisoned.

    Unbelievably, even with that sword, and even with that stab, the juggernaut had somehow remained alive.

    He removed it helmet to reveal it''s ugly malformed face, recalled the sword and turned it into a short sword which he stabbed through the eye of the monster and twisted.

    The monster went into frenzy, and tried to bite him while mming and destroying the ground around, Esdras held on to the store for dear life.

    When the master opened it''s maw, he took a risk and punched with his fist infuse with all the Vigor he had left, destroying its head and scattering brain matter everywhere.

    The monster still didn''t fall and he didn''t get any EXP notification.

    Cursing, he channeled his mana to the [Rangers badge], ten arrows shot out immediately destroying that headpletely.

    In the meantime, a fireball twice as big formed over his left hand, and he shot it through whatever remainder of the juggernauts neck after his head was blown off.

    He expected to be blown off by the air pressure, but he wasn''t. He was caught in the juggernaut left hand and a crushing feeling came over him.

 Chapter 60 Accomplishment

    ''Not again!''

    Esdras felt the distinct feeling of his bones breaking once again, but strength that was threatening topletely crush his body waned.

    The juggernaut fell crashing down to the ground. Dead atst. A sizzling sensation on his left forearm alerted him to that poisoning being cured. This was the effect of the Antidote slips.

    [+380 EXP]

    [You have conquered the Rust fang dungeon sessfully on your own! +400 EXP]

    [You performed a great feat, you are the first to conquer a dungeon in Arandos! +28 Origin points]

    [The mirrors are merging]

    [You have acquired a fragment of the Labyrinth magic legacy (1/7)]

    At this point three huge treasure chests appeared. On the other side of the wall, a huge purple vortex appeared. This was his way out of the dungeon.

    Esdras collection, the three chess directly into his storage ring, this was not the right time to check them out. He had no time.

    The dungeon started to shake obviously thanks to his pioneer title he knew this was a sign that the monsters were going to respawn.

    Only this process will take some time because after a dungeon is conquered, it will go down by a grade. Natural this affected the monster levels along with the loot.

    Amount of loot and magic items that he got out of this low level dungeon, was staggering, thanks to a series of coincidences.

    However, Esdras felt that he was being silly. Think about we only spent a little over an hour since entering the dungeon, what are the chances that the ck mages have left by now?

    Very low. They wouldn''t have finished fighting or whatever it is that they were doing in such a short time. So if he went out right now, it would be just putting himself in the line of fire once again.

    In fact, he ran into the dungeon to hide first ce. Moreover, he had no evidence that the ck mages found the dungeon, even if they did would they recklessly charge in?

    He was in a dilemma.

    Wait a moment, he have just the magic item for this?

    It was called the [Eye of the Ageruus creeper] using one of the eyes as a medium, he could look through the other pair.

    After branding the highest level Ageruus creeper''s eyes, he realized that he could use it to look through the other lower level eyes.

    However, it was not as easy as it looked, using too many of them, cause his minds focused to scatter, and the light headache assaulted his head.

    Even then, it was a good idea even though it was a low level item depended on how it was used.

    He went downstairs outside of the third floor and back into the second floor, the pyramid of mysteries.

    He was shocked to find that the staircase which he had thoroughly destroyed was repair back to normal. From moment, he even doubted himself.

    Either way you went down ced two of the eyes in specific ces, his eyes had a special property. They were extremely sticky once they were fixed in ce it was not easy to take them off.

    Before returning to the third-floor, he contemted or something. What if the ck mages went down to where that giant sarcophagus was being held?

    Being very curious about that sarcophagus, he took one more eye downstairs and left it in an inconspicuous ce.

    Seeing that the preparations were over, he went back. Now all he had to do was sit back and rx.

    Oh, he did not get a chance to rest for too long.

    ****

    Olga, Ves and Lock, these were the names of the three ck mages and currently they were in the midst of experiencing a truly special event.

    As rank 2 warlocks, they did the work that would have taken regr men at Fortnite in an hour.

    At first were unmoved, all they saw, was to human bodies and a dozen kobolds. This told them that at least part of that story was indeed true.

    At the end of the cave, we found a purple swirling vortex. unlike mages, warlocks were not the type to overthink or contemte too much. Instead, they focused on aplishing the task.

    They use two soldiers to test the waters, the soldiers disappeared and didn''te back. Following this hunch the three of them went through the vortex.

    And found themselves inside the dungeon.

    After exploringw, and finding a simr looking vortex, let them outside, they began to rx. Now then you for a fact that apprentice was definitely here.

    Lock, the leader, among the three may the two of them wait for him and after half an hour he returns with two more people.

    You''re clearly higher in statuspared to the three of them. The mana they released was much denser.

    Moving on, they were even more astonished in the second floor, they simply did not understand the principles of the magic that cause this.

    " great! great! simply marvelous!"

    The two neers examining every de of grass as for the monster that dared to approach? They were killed instantly.

    " what time to be doing research? You should be catching the rat!" Olga whispered to Ves.

    Ves what is the sleepy mage, he shook his head, " that doesn''t matter anymore, this is a much bigger discovery then you can imagine than even I can understand. This might even be more important than attacking the fort."

    After a while, they enter the mysterious pyramid, the excitement of the two higher-ups at this time was at an all-time high. Gone that dignity and elegance, powerful spellcaster.

    Not long after they were standing at the intersection between the stair cases, that light up and one that yed downwards.

    Without any hesitation, they had it downwards. They felt a strange sense of power. What was the most mysterious seeping from there.

    This was because Esdras left the gate open.

    Esdras who was watching all of this hele his breath. He did not know what was about to happen next.

 Chapter 61 â€¦ Eliminate

    Each one of the eyes allowed him to see in any direction in a 200 meter radius, the images were projected to his mind. He could also hear a bit, although there were distortions in the sound transmitted from time to time.

    So, he was dumbfounded, when he saw so many warlocksing after him, and he was about to bolt out of this ce immediately.

    But then he paid attention to their actions, and noticed several strange points, mainly, they did not seem hell-bent on chasing him down as much as they were exploring the dungeon.

    In the back of his mind, he expected an exciting chase sequence or something along those lines.

    So since he noticed that they decided to go down, he thought he might as well see what happens next. After all that sarcophagus was extremely strange, along with this entire pyramid.

    It felt extremely sophisticated.

    The five warlocks were standing in front of the chained sarcophagus. Esdras, also noticed that the dark miasma released by the sarcophagus was much denser as of now.

    Before doing anything The Warlocks engaged in a discussion ultimately, they came to the conclusion that the sarcophagus must have belong to a very important monarch.

    Some cultures in the past known to bury their treasures with them. Indeed, mini ruins, help many magic, items, or mana stones.

    The energy released by the sarcophagus was proof that it contains many magical items or a high grade mana stone.

    Although this was just a preliminary investigation, they decided to retrieve these important items right now, for obvious reasons.

    Two of the warlocks cast several spells all at once, three meter long bone spears cut through the hundreds of chains that held the sarcophagus up and it fell down.

    The impact of this huge structure more than 10 meters long and heavier than even what its size implied. The ground Creek and groaned as if in pain, the wind suddenly picked up out of nowhere.

    The cloaks of The Warlocks, t in the wind, the dark, my miasma was even greater up close.

    Weather goal almostpleted, the Warlocks walked over to the sarcophagus, and one of them actually erged he became 3 meters long and very buff.

    The robes and clothes he was wearing or not turn off unexpectedly despite his almost giant like proportions.

    Esdras also noticed that The Warlock''s Physique stat rose from 1 to 4, this was much stronger than a regr vigor knight. Even his own start right now it was 5.

    These warlocks were unpredictable and possessed strange spells that challenged themon sense of the elemental mages.

    The transformed warlock tried to open up the sarcophagus, but it was all in vain, no matter how he tried he could not move it an inch. For a long time, their attempts ended in failure.

    Being fed up and impatient, The Warlocks resorted to using force instead of trying it the nice way.

    Funnily enough, Esdras was enjoying the show. He wondered what is warlock''s expressions would look like if they knew they were messing with a grade 4 being?

    After a long spectacle, none of the spells managed to leave even a single dent in the sarcophagus.

    At this point in time, The Warlocks, what are incredibly frustrated and impatient. How could thebined attacks be useless?

    What they did not notice because of their proximity to the sarcophagus was the amount of the dark my asthma has increased doubled, and then tripled.

    Finally, all the dark, my miasma was collected back inside a sarcophagus. The eyes sketched on the Egyptian pharaoh, like effigy on top of the sarcophagus started glowing.

    And then it opened its mouth and released by harrowing screech that immediately renter The Warlocks defenseless as they fell down, covering their ears.

    The effigy opens its eyes, and they werepletely ck without any irises and cried, deep crimson blood seeped out first a few drops, and then a stream.

    The Warlocks down there were wailing and howling, scratching at their own faces, some of them, or even speaking in unknownnguages.

    Finally, there was a drum like noise after which everything went quiet.

    The sarcophagus''s opening drew all eyes to it, from within a smoke like figure rose.

    It was like a shadow given form. It had a nk face, except for two white dots for eyes, and a frowning cartoonish mouth. That face was like a childish, drawing without any distinct features.

    Some of the warlocks that regained their wits at this moment attempted to attack.

    "Silence."

    The shadowy smoke-like figure spoke, the voice somehow made all the warlocks freeze in ce their expressions were very ugly.

    "Ants? mortals dare disturb my slumber? ¡­You do not prostate at my sight?" The voice was like there were tens of people talking at the same time.

    The figure waved his hand and all of the warlocks exploded literally into pools of blood. Without having the chance to resist at all.

    Then the figure inhaled sharply and the blood pools turned into blood fog that was absorbed directly into the shadow''s wide-open mouth.

    " disgusting, what is this foul taste?" The shadow remarked itself, "hmm¡­ wait something isn''t right¡­. what is this¡­ a different world?"

    Suddenly the shadow startedughing hysterically, and the dark power within it rushed into the outside,pletely destroying and decimating the entirety of the gigantic hall.

    "The musty smell¡­ the sour odor of sweat¡­ the tangy stench of blood¡­ it''s been a while!"

    "Hahhahha! Hahahaha! Atst!"

    ****

    Esdras knew it was time to get the fuck out of here. He was shivering, he underestimated the power of rank 4, he simply couldn''t trulyprehend that power, even now all he knew was that he knew nothing.

    The five warlocks were not weak, even Esdras could only die if he were to face them. He wouldn''t be surprised that they lost, what shocked him was that they couldn''t even resist.

    Esdras rushed over to the exit vortex but before he could pass through it, a crack in space destroyed it.

    From within that crack, a hand crossed over and held the space between the real world.

    The hand was entirely without skin. He could clearly see the flesh and veins of the hand.

    "Eliminate¡­"

 Chapter 62 One Thing After Another

    Esdras was in shock, and he couldn''t process what happened and only a few moments everything has changed.

    But the cold reality was uncaring for his feelings. A horrible intrusive force rushed at him, causing everything he saw to twist and churn.

    The being at the spatial crack roared causing a storm like effect to sweep through the boss room sending Esdras crashing into a wall.

    By the time he regained his bearings the creature widened the spatial crack and emerged.

    It was a seven meter tall creature, part of it was made of mangled flesh and bone the other half was a machine like structure.

    What was clear at first nce that it was horribly damaged with gears and wires cut off on the armor destroyed and malformed just like the organic half.

    The head had three eyes in a triangle bleeding everywhere, and a mouth full of square-like teeth. The eyes were looking everywhere as if searching.

    And then it locked onto him.

    [Dimensional shambler Lv.11]

    Rank: 3

    - ??

    -??

    ''Fuck this shit, I have to run''

    Esdras recognized that his life was in danger and that he couldn''t fight. With everything he''s got he sprinted away back to the second floor vertex.

    Although this vortex was destroyed, the one in the second floor must still be working just fine. He cross the bridge immediately.

    But his dismay, the creature behind him, destroyed the boss toom of the third floor entirely, and followed him, destroying the bridge along the way.

    It was flying casually.

    "Eliminate..."

    He did not know how destroyed such arge structure, and he didn''t turn around to look.

    However, he did not expect that he would find the dark shadow in the boss room on the second floor. Taken back, came to a standstill.

    The Shadow like figure looking at him, and he looked back, both of them, surprised to see someone here.

    Moreover, the shadow was looking directly at the vortex and blocking it, making it impossible for Esdras to use it.

    An idea came to him.

    Behind him in the dimensional shambler came crashing in.

    "Hmm?" The shadow muttered something and looked at the Dimensional shambler in surprise and then in rage.

    "You dare disrespect me as such?!" It questioned.

    However, the dimensional shambler only focused on Esdras and chased after him. But the shadow was even angrier at being ignored.

    Tendrils of shadow shot out of the shadow-like figure and stabbed right through the dimensional shambler, but it ignored that and kept trying to go after Esdras who kept going downwards.

    "Eliminate... p"

    Esdras I had no idea how he had offended that thing, but he was not about to slow down since this vortex was unavable. You could only try his luck at the first floor''s.

    "Eliminate neswalker!"

    Esdras almost stopped in his tracks he could not believe his ears. A chill filled his body, but he did not there to turn back has several loud explosions echoed.

    He quickly exited the mysterious pyramid crossed over the ruins in the forest, and walk through the gate of the first floor. Fortunately, this one was empty and no one was there.

    He quickly use the vortex and teleported to the outside world. As soon as his boots touched the grass, he sprinted.

    He had to return to the fort, everything outside must be the territory of the warlocks. Although this was just in assumption based on, what he knew currently.

    Moreover that thing, it said neswalker... didn''t it? He didn''t imagine that did he?

    He never thought about it really, how did the neswalkers die off? So that someone like him could get the chance he got?

    God-like beings, how could they just die off? Wouldn''t it make sense that such beings would be immortal? And yet, here we are.

    Moreover, that thing identified him as a neswalker and try to eliminate him. Could it be that the enemies of the neswalkers were still out there searching looking for any traces?

    Didn''t that mean that he had a target on his back?

    ''Shit!''

    However, this was the list of his stories now as he was running to the fort he heard a loud explosion behind. It''s source? The cave.

    Stunned by the sound that shook the earth, he fell down. From the direction of the noise, he heard even more explosions, and then a dark, ominous light filled the world.

    And then a dark smoke-like substance rose high into the air, and the giant pyramid floated in the sky.

    Esdras was very familiar with this pyramid, he just never thought that you would see it in the real world. From the entrance of the pyramid and majestic figure descended the stairs.

    "This world ispletely different!"

    He also knew that figure, it must have emerged victorious. But he was not sure how it managed toe to the real world.

    The figure spread his hands wide as if to embrace the wide world, "so many ants! This fresh air! This clear sky! Hahahaha! It will be a ughter!"

    Esdras felt like shit, he didn''t expect that creatures from the dungeon coulde outside. And this one seems terrible. He couldn''t help but feel like he awakened a devil.

    Suddenly the pyramid behind him started to shrink in size and change, became more like a gothic medieval castle. After a shrink down with entered into the forehead of the shadow.

    "Hmm, how wonderful! All those years have paid off! Even the stars are so clear------"

    Suddenly where the shadow is looking at the stars in the sky, and itsughter was cut off.

    "What the-- this can''t be... fuck! I have to get out of here."

    The confident demeanor suddenly disappeared, reced by a panicked one. This change stund Esdras.

    The shadow started looking around and looked eyes onto him and grinned.

    "It''s you, you''re that rat that escaped, did you think that you could go far? Your talent seems to be half decent so I will be taking your body aspensation."

 Chapter 63 Fortress And Risk

    Esdras tried to run, but his body refused to obey his orders. It was as if he was held in ce by a strange, unseen power.

    And just like that without being able to control himself or resist, he levitated in the air until hended on the hand of the shadow figure.

    Esdras was in despair, he knew that he couldn''t do anything. Even without the power to suppress his movement, he couldn''t have done anything.

    "Not bad, not bad, with this body I should be able to leave in time before it''s toote."

    Esdras had no idea what this thing was talking about. He also didn''t know why it was thinking out loud. Maybe it was a consequence of spending so much time alone in that sarcophagus.

    Suddenly that smoke-like substance that made up the body of the shadow started entering his body through his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth.

    Esdras fell down on his own, unable to move still, after the entirety of the shadow has entered his body, and he was unable to move his eyes or empty, and his breathing was extremely slow.

    Within the darkness within his body, it was like he was meditating, and was able to observe his sea of consciousness through his spirit body.

    He could see that smoke invading his mind and spirit but at a deeper level.

    "Hahahaha! I will be reborn!"

    He was able to hear this roar reverberate in his mind for a long, long time. But then something happened.

    "What is that thing? Huh?"

    The shadow made a confused noise.

    "No! What?! Stop! Noooo! Leave me alone! AghaaaaaaH!"

    Esdras didn''t do anything, but he was able to see that deep inside of him. Beyond the Sea of consciousness, there was a shining object that he could not see clearly.

    Currently, all of the shadows that invaded his mind and body were being absorbed, devoured and drained by that object. Subconsciously, he knew what it was.

    The Divine shard that was in his possession!

    " no please aghhha, I didn''t know! I didn''t know! Leave me be! I swear I won''t bother you!"

    After a short amount of time, the noise ended, and the smoke waspletely cleared.

    But a transparent spirit suddenly floated upside down in his sea of consciousness. Esdras didn''t know what to do now he wanted to activate that power once again, topletely annihte it.

    But he didn''t know how.

    He didn''t feel any different after he I walk from the trance and returned to the right word. You didn''t get any boost in power or anything of that sort.

    Feeling relieved and slightly disappointed, he looked around and realized that he was alone.

    With all his power, he ran towards the fortress, hoping to make it this time.

    Twenty minutester, he was able to see the fortress. It seems like there was a battle, but it has since ended or maybe they were taking a break.

    In any case, it seems that the warlocks retreated for the time being. This was good news as he was able to reach the fortress safely.

    The fort didn''t look so good, with broken walls and fallen ramparts, soldiers lying everywhere with some physicians looking after them.

    Many deformed corpses and there was an asional limb here or there. This is what happens when magic is involved. Regr people die in droves and these are the lucky ones.

    He found some apprentices, who actually managed to return safely, and one of them was his friend, David.

    "Seems like you made after all, huh?" Esdras said feelingpletely exhausted.

    "Oh, yeah. We were the closest to the fortress so we quickly found ourselves in safety. Did you hear that explosion?" David asked.

    "Which one?" Esdras asked.

    "That one, the one that released all that mana? It forced The Warlocks to retreat. Even the True mages on our side didn''t want to fight anymore. If only you saw the look on their faces, everyone was scared for their lives."

    Esdras had a feeling that he knew what they were talking about. But they did not know that thing was already on the verge of death.

    He better finds someone to ask how to kill a spirit quickly.

    Ironically, it was that creature''s intervention that allowed Esdras to reach the fortress safely. Otherwise, he would have to find a ce in the wild to hide.

    "Oh? You''re a level 4 now?" Esdras asked David, astonished. "But how do you already know some cantrips?"

    Esdras used his [Third eye] on David casually, what he saw surprised him.

    "How did you know?" David asked in return, and then he started bragging shamelessly, "actually, I managed to break through yesterday. As for the cantrips I already learned them so when I broke through, I was immediately able to use them."

    "That''s smart." Esdras was impressed, he didn''t think of that before maybe you could do that himselfter.

    "Honestly, I expected the fortress to fall by now the warlocks came in great numbers, and we have only one True mage," Esdras asked.

    "I thought so too, but did you remember the female True mage that was injured? It was a fake injury, and she was able to ambush the warlocks. There''s also another True mage who has a great chameleon as a familiar with thisbination, we were able to hold on, and even repelled their attacks several times."

    Indeed, the True mages had predicted something like this happening, or at least be prepared for the worst possible scenario.

    "Oh, wait where is Celine?" Esdras suddenly noticed that he didn''t see her among the apprentices in the fortress.

    Add this question David''s face turned ugly, "she, she''s not here yet... but, like you, she''s going to make it now that the warlocks have retreated. Probably."

    Esdras frowned, being still in the forest was extremely dangerous. The Warlocks only retreat it, but they haven''t given up yet.

    He did give her that amulet of protection, but that simply wasn''t enough I guess these foes.

    "I''m going to bring her here." He decided. He couldn''t just sit around and wait for her. What if she faced a warlock? It was way above her abilities.

    "What you can''t go it''s insanely dangerous out there!" David tried to block him. "The siege might resume at any time, out there you will get yourself killed, it''s already great that you managed to get here. Be rational."

    "It''s fine I''m going to bring her here. I know where her camp was, she must be around that area. If I can''t find her in half an hour then I will juste back."

    Looking into his eyes David knew that he couldn''t stop him.

    "Fine then I''ming with you, the ce is still very difficult to search alone, two people will cover more area let''s go."

    "Why? Didn''t you say it''s irrational? You don''t have toe." Esdras shook his head.

    "I''m not exactly the rational type either, I''m your friend so how could I sit back and do nothing while you risk your life? Come on, don''t waste time let''s go!"

    Esdras wouldn''t refuse help when it came to things like this he was very well aware that he couldn''t solve every problem himself, and he was grateful for the help.

 Chapter 64 New Variable

    In the quiet night, following the retreat of the warlocks, the two of them managed to easily and safely return to the forest.

    Of course, they had to take a roundabout way, but it was worth it.

    On the way, they encountered several goblins and kobolds even some Dire wolves. The density of monsters was increasing rapidly.

    Esdras didn''t hide his swordsmanship abilities much from David, this was not a situation in which he could take it easy and y around.

    Besides he didn''t care much to hide his swordsmanship anyway, mages wouldn''t think much of it unless they were on the receiving end of his sword.

    This is because of the well-established arrogance and domination of spellcasters for thousands of years.

    Just like what happened with the two warlocks before Esdras escaped into the dungeon. Although they saw that he disyed slightly unusual abilities with the sword, they didn''t think much of it.

    Coincidentally they bumped into a group of escaping apprentices, Esdras immediately stopped them because he recognized one of the girls, she was on Celine''s team.

    Naturally, the three apprentices were escaping for their lives and they didn''t appreciate being stopped. But Esdras didn''t care.

    "Hey, you! You''re part of Celine''s team, right? Where''s she?" Esdras asked urgently.

    "¡­ you''re Esdras? Oh, no! Celine went to get you!"

    Fuck. On one hand, this made perfect sense, from Celine''s perspective he needed help, and obviously couldn''t fend for himself.

    Inwardly cursing at the absurdity they dashed awaypletely changing their trajectory.

    However, this was actually very bad much worse than he initially thought the situation could be. If she headed to his old camp then she would be heading to a highly dangerous area.

    It was in that ce that the shadow emerged, causing a mana reaction that startled both forces. And since the warlocks control the forest, they have the highest chance of investigating the source of the disturbance.

    However, Esdras was attracted to amotion a bit further away from his old campsite. He felt that there were multiple small presences in that directionpared to the emptiness in other directions.

    In a clearing, they came upon multiple trenches and wooden blockades, clearly made in this arrangement in haste.

    The camp was being besieged by hobgoblins, bugbears, and goblin wolf riders.

    From their perch on the trees, Esdras caught a glimpse of Celine among the apprentices defending the camp.

    "What do we do? They''re too many and far too powerful¡­" David asked.

    He was right, these monsters had an average level of three. But actually, this was no big deal, in all honesty, Esdras could make short work of them himself. But¡­

    There was no time, he needed to get in there and get out as soon as possible. Worse still, thanks to his [Third eye] he was able to stop a hidden factor. An orc.

    [Gurik]

    Race: Green orc

    Rank: 2

    ss: Warrior Lv.1

    - Double barrage Lv.1

    - Sure shot Lv.2

    - Savage onught Lv.1

    It was not just any orc but one who had stepped onto Rank 2, these kinds of orcs did not just appear anywhere. In the back of his mind, a certain theory began to take shape.

    However, it was true that he couldn''t take care of the problem single-handedly with this variable added to the mix.

    Curiously enough the orc was staying far away and hidden, if not for his ability, he would not have been able to spot him. And in this darkness, he looked no different than a bugbear.

    Clearly, the orc did not want to be found out, could it be that there was a reason behind that?

    And he felt that he was close to understanding something but unfortunately, many of the details were not avable to him. That being the case he had to act based on what he knew.

    ? "Listen, David, there is a rank 2 orc among them, you will make as muchmotion as possible and attract the bulk of the force remaining here to chase you all you have to do is circle around the area, and I will be done by the time youe back."

    " what? Are you telling me that you can take care of him at that time? I will assume that you are not joking¡­ do you know I didn''t have any breakfast today, I knew I should have eaten something¡­" David added with a sigh.

    " do you think I will joke in this situation? How do you think I managed to return to the fortress?" Esdras was not about to hide anything at this point, all that mattered to him is getting this done safely.

    " all right then, but what about the others you know the other apprentices what do we do about it? We can''t leave them here now can we?" David looked at him questioningly.

    " yes we can, but I suppose we can take them as well. However, if they prove to be a hassle or a burden, I''m going to leave them behind you and Celine are the only ones I care about here."

    David always tried to keep his friendship with Esdras a secret to protect himself, but he was actually a good friend who would lend a hand at the right time.

    Even when Esdras was first transmigrated, David was thoughtful enough to keep some food for him just in case he didn''t eat any.

    Although he might look a bit like a coward he was not, in the tough times he always came through.

    Since the n of action was already decided then all that remained was to put it to the test.

    *BOOM!*

    A fireball with a two-meter radius exploded on the head of the chaotically attacking monsters.

    The explosion was so powerful the air pressure directly broke the eardrums of those lucky enough to be far away from the action.

    The first attack killed ten or more monsters and brought the battlefield to a stop. This one took Esdras a whole two minutes to charge which is why it was as powerful as a real spell.

 Chapter 65 Almost There

    While the apprentices and the monsters were still in shock, a man jumped off a tree in front of them, and shouted,

    "Ayo, were you guys doing something important? Come get me if you want some!"

    David then ran away after shooting several stones bullets, and killing a few monsters, here and there. The monsters were provoked and chased after him in a frenzy.

    Esdras has already hidden away from the point of the impact and sneaked behind the monsters towards his target.

    It was because the orc wanted to hide it was a bit further off from where the bulk of the monsters were concentrated at. It can be said that it brought its own demise.

    The orc was shouting something in orcish at the monsters, which he didn''t understand. But it was probably ordering them to halt or something along those lines.

    And that was when the reaper in the darkness struck.

    Esdras controlled his silver ring and it elongated into a thin but deadly staff, the staff had a needle-sized sharp edge at the tip.

    It was infused with vigor and the skill, [Prating vigor].

    The orc immediately pulled up his axe from his belt, and actually managed to block that strike which surprised Esdras.

    That axe looked like it was carved from stone, and there were several strange symbols engraved on it that released a green glow. It was now a struggle of pure brute, strength.

    However, suddenly the silver staff withdrew, it literally became shorter, and then elongated again, this timepletely bypassing the axe.

    Unable to cope with the strange weapon, and the exchange that wentpletely against its expectations, its neck was sliced off in half.

    It would have beenpletely cut off, but the orc managed to regain its bearing and moved slightly to the back.

    Blood gushed like a fountain but the orc didn''t seem to care it charge at him with a bestial roar.

    Esdras was shocked at that tensity but he wasn''t surprised very much. He opened his left hand and a chiseled stone was shot out like a missile, the size of a fist.

    This was a rock that he conjured himself, it took him five minutes. This rock was not only harder than steel, there were several air holes drilled into it.

    Using wind magic, he created a centrifugal air current due to the structure of the stone, when the wind passed through the passages it increased the speed and rotation.

    It also amplified the shockwave of being fired with earth magic and amplified it further with wind magic. The result was a whirlwind that none was able to feel, before the impact that is.

    The charging orc was pretty much going for ast stand or something and had neglected defense entirely. It might have been an attempt to throw him into a panic so he wouldn''t be able to cast spells.

    But that was just stupid. As a mage, Esdras had thoroughly prepared himself for an eventuality in this encounter. This was the terror of spellcasters, with enough time and knowledge the target should forget about surviving.

    Before the orc could even realize what happened, his entire upper body was blown off with the power of that rock bullet. It directly turned into a blood mist that scattered in the wind.

    ''Holy shit.'' Even Esdras would have been done for had he been on the receiving end of that attack. This was the power of elemental magic, as long as one had some imagination then it could turn trivial things into death traps.

    [+125 EXP]

    Esdras then turn to look at the rest of the monsters, seeing him look at them, the monsters immediately retreated. After all night, all of the monsters went to chase after David.

    "Esdras?"

    A familiar voice asked. Esdras looked at a disheveled Celine. She had several bruises on her hands and was covered with dirt and a bit of mud or elegant robes were in disarray.

    Seeing her like this really made Esdras angry. To you think that those vermin would dare to harm her like this?

    "Hello there!"

    But he didn''t say anything like that for now, with the best course of action as long as she''s alive that was great enough.

    Celine run out of the barricade and jumped into his embrace, Esdras hugged her back dly.

    "Come on, we don''t have all day. Let us get out of here. Is there anyone else here with you?" Esdras asked.

    This is because he was surprised that no one else was in this camp. He was sure that he saw at least seven or eight of them before they started the attack.

    "They all ran away when the monsters went to chase after David, those cowards." Celine Spect out with resentment.

    "Don''t say that actually, I want you to be one of those cowards. They didn''t know who was there, and if they were being rescued or not, I think they made the right choice to take that risk, and I know it on their own."

    Esdras truly meant it if he was in their ce, then it was very likely he would have run away too.

    From the distance, he could hear a strong sound of panting and huffing. David wasing back looking like he was about to die.

    "I¡­ I can''t run¡­ huuuf! You guys go on without me." David set between huffs and puffs.

    Oh that''s right most mages were unathletic, David was already better than most since he was still just a kid and not an old man who spent decades without any exercise.

    "Here take this," Esdras open his backpack, and give him a stamina potion, "and you too, drink these we will have to make a run for it from now on."

    He also gave stamina and health potion to Celine. Naturally, he didn''t mind revealing the potions to the two of them because he was nning on selling these portionster on.

    "What is this? Esdras, you''re bing more and more mysterious by the day." David muttered as he drank his potion without hesitation.

    "Right? That''s what I thought." Celine unexpectedly agreed with David.

    "These are a new kind of potion that I will be selling,ter on, think of yourself as my experimental subjects hehehh." Esdras set with an evilugh.

    "New potions?" David repeated stupidly as if he couldn''tprehend the words. "Esdras you know that you are my best friend, right? I have always stuck with you through thick and thin. You can''t forget meter on OK?"

    "Hmph, aren''t you the one who keeps telling me to pretend not to know you? I think I will keep doing that."

    "Nooo"

 Chapter 66 Everything Will Not Be Fine

    As for why he didn''t mind revealing and even selling that potionster on? naturally it was because they were going to spread it around anyway.

    The first dungeon has already appeared, and been cleared. Since there was a first there must be a second and the third.

    Which means that the health and stamina potions in his position were extremely rare right now. But not long after the value will drop since other people will be able to acquire them other dungeons.

    So basically, he was going to lose out if he kept them for too long. Of course, his n to sell the potions will take a certain amount of preparation and nning.

    After all these kinds of things can go wrong very quickly.

    Esdras, Celine and David made their journey back to the fortress, of course they were going the long way around.

    Even though it might be longer and harder through the forest it was the safest option.

    Halfway through, they had to stop to take a break and drink some water from a nearby stream. Everything went smoothly, and nothing untoward happened.

    They resumed their journey back when they passed by a strange stone carved on it was a human like face which attracted to their attention for a bit.

    He felt a sudden chill in the air and Esdras felt his hair stand on end abruptly, he was aquatinted with this feeling as ofte, it was approaching death.

    And yet it has never been quite this intense and sudden before.

    Esdras noticed that something was wrong when it was already toote, he didn''t see that there was a person in front of him not only that there was a hand on his chest. A gentle palm, fingers spread out.

    "[Bone explosion]"

    There was no time to resist or to think, he could only feel his ribs, exploding and breaking in such a brutal and nauseating manner.

    Several of his bones exploded outwards piercing through his torso leaving big and small holes. The damage to his internal organs I was even worse.

    "Esdras!"

    Vaguely, he could tell that Celine David were calling his name from the back. But he was in a momentary trance, for their voices and everything else faded to the background.

    The young man in front of him had dark ck hair, and steel in his ck eyes. He was clearly one of the warlocks.

    What shocked him the most was how he was able to get this close to him without him noticing. It was inconceivable, considering his enhanced senses and his battle experience.

    [Name: Pentar ]

    Rank: 2

    Race: Hybrid human

    ss: Blight warlock- Bone caster Lv. 4

    Title: Mask of decay

    -???

    -???

    He could only think that it was the effect of a spell or a magic item, there was little else that could exin it. But he didn''t have much time to think anyway.

    That man didn''t seem satisfied with the amount of damage that Esdras suffered.

    His hand transformed into one entirely made of bone, he could tell at a nce that it was not human bone. It was inscribed with small letters, and he couldn''t understand what they meant.

    The hand then stab through his body and whatever it touched whether it be his muscles, or whatever remains of his internal organs immediately decayed, and turned into a brown-green mush.

    The ridiculous turn off eventspletely, took him off guard, he only recovered from the young man looked at the shocked Celine and David.

    They were slightly further away from him as he was clearing the way in the front. Whatever was holding him in ce weakened and then with sheer will he broke out of it.

    The young man was about to pull his hand back, certain that he aplished his goal. However, he could not. looking down he saw that supposedly dead opponent holding his hand back.

    Gripping him with both hands, there was a violent breaking noise. The young man freaked out his arm was broken and just like that, the bones were crushed into small pieces that pierced his flesh.

    Esdras was not done, hemanded his ring, and it turned into a sword that stabbed right through the torso of the young man.

    But the young man was not about to take this lying down, he mumbled something, [Exoskeleton].

    Suddenly, after a sh of dark mana an exoskeleton simr to that of ants, covered his body and blocked the sword. The first time.

    For the second strike, Esdras put in all of his Vigor absolutely everything, everyst drop. The young man was slow to react due to the weight of the armor he was wearing.

    The sword broke through the defenses and stabbed through the flesh. Despite the great resistance. No wonder he was confident in it, it was insanely durable.

    "Aghaaaah!"

    The young man screamed as he backed away, his eyes bleeding tears of blood. But he was extremely quick in recognizing the situation and dispelling the armor to retreat.

    Obviously, he may not have been blown to bits, but there was still a fist-size hole in him.

    "Agh, you killed my seniors! I won''t forgive you!" Dering a such thing, man red at him with endless hatred, and jumped into the stream of water.

    It was only then that Celine and David arrived. It was not that they were slow but that confrontation was simply too quick.

    Esdras fell on his knees. He did not know what the deration was for since he was already going to die right now.

    He looked down at himself and smile bitterly. He did not have anything that could restore several internal organs and bones.

    It was certainly out of there capability of low level health potions.

    " god dammit! I''m going to get that bastard!" David, with his eyes, threatened with tears, and anger jumped after the warlock.

    Esdras wanted to tell him not to bother, but he couldn''t talk anymore. At some point you had fallen on his back, rather with remainder of it anyway.

    The decay spell simply too powerful.

    "No no no this can''t be happening. No no no no no this isn''t real, no no no no." Celine looked on in horror at this nightmarish scene, unable to ept what she was seeing.

    Esdras felt sorry he didn''t know what his death will do it to her mental state. He did not want to die either, but what could he do?

    What could he have done differently? It was too sudden.

    There was a part of him that expected it, that the divine shard would do something to save his life once again. Butst time the divine shard acted of its own ord, in special circumstances that he did not even understand.

    He took several risky actions, one choice after another, there was bound to be consequences. Sometimes life was like this. No warning, nost call, nost wish. No omens. No legends. Just death.

    As the life drained from him, and the feeling of death was even more certain in the back of his mind, he knew that nothing like that was going to happen.

    He messed up. He wasn''t strong enough. He wasn''t ruthless enough,he wasn''t smart enough, he wasn''t resourceful enough.

    And for that he had to die.

 Chapter 67 A Good Lessonâ€¦?

    Darkness¡­

    All he could see was darkness for a long time

    Or was it a short amount of time?

    Maybe it was always like this, and maybe it juststed for a brief moment.

    In that darkness, he saw several visions, brief shes, and then something else would appear.

    He saw a man wearing a dark cloak of fur and a crow was on his shoulder, only the crow had a skull for a head.

    He saw a hand cover the sky and hold the moon.

    He saw himself looking slightly older in a lone ck tower that was feared and whispered about bymoners in hushed tones.

    He saw something buried beneath the ground so deep that it was long forgotten.

    He saw himself again, this time he was floating in the air with some other people whom he couldn''t make out their faces. They were looking at a gash in the sky, and then a hand emerged.

    He heard a loud thud and woke up gasping. He clutched his chest in panic, he was fine. No better than fine there was not even a mark left to indicate that he was almost dead.

    No, not almost he was dead, right? He should have died¡­

    He looked around and found himself in what could only be an infirmary. There was no one else around but he could hear a mightymotion from outside.

    His head was throbbing like a bitch but he was otherwise fine and alive.

    Suddenly a thought urred to him He rushed to one of the mirrors and took a look at his face. Thick blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. He was still in Arandos.

    For a moment there, he thought that he might have transmigrated to another world after dying in Arandos.

    He was slightly out of bnce, as he first started walking, but otherwise remain fine outside of the infirmary he realize that he was inside the fortress.

    Now he was sure of the source of themotion he heard, it was chaos outside with a bloody battle raging on. Screams, shouts, and orders are being barked, left, and right.

    One of the broken walls was being protected by a giant chameleon spewing poison missed outside. But it was already badly injured and on the verge of death, as a huge bone spear, impaled it in ce.

    Esdras only now remember to check on his magic items fortunately his storage ring and weapon ring were still on him.

    "Hey! What are you doing standing around?! Get out of the way!"

    He heard someone shouting at him and moved out of the way. There were several people in white sheets, moving some injured people, soldiers, and apprentices alike.

    Suddenly he saw someone he knew at the end of the line, it was David, who was dragging another apprentice. David didn''t look all that good either he had a bandage wrapped around his head.

    "You!" David pointed at him when he saw him too. " you shouldn''t be here you should be resting."

    Esdras helped him take the apprentice and he realized was dead after holding him.

    "I¡­ " Esdras didn''t know what to say, "I heard the noise, and I guess I just came out."

    They drug the body to a pile of bodies on the side of the fortress and dumped it there.

    "He was my friend, his name was¡­ Well, I suppose it doesn''t matter anymore now, does it? Or don''t you think it''s ridiculous?! This whole thing? Why do we have to suffer like this?"

    " I don''t know, I don''t know." Esdras could only shake his head in vain. He didn''t know what to make of all this is only now, that he realized just how brutal the battle was.

    " listen can you tell me what happened? I mean I''m a life but I shouldn''t be I was dead, right? I didn''t imagine that did I?"

    David looked conflicted but then he just looked away, " you''re alive now that''s all that matters. Don''t think about it too much. I don''t know how you''re alive¡­ I went to chase that bastard but he either drowned or get away when I came back you were fine."

    Esdras didn''t understand, could it be the divine shard? Did it save his life after all? Honestly, he truly believe that he died back then. But it seems that he worried for nothing.

    Well, he did almost die this time, admittedly it was a close call. This world had many people who are stronger, smarter, and craftier than him.

    It was a ce where talents were everywhere. He may have the divine shard but that was all. He was not a god, not by a long shot. All it gave him was potential.

    If that potential is not unearthed then that was all it was, just a joke. It was real power in the present that counted not.

    There were many methods and spells that he couldn''t underestimate. Not to mention magic items that could render him helpless.

    If he wasn''t cautious enough he could end up dead all of a sudden. He survived this time miraculously but who to say about the next time?

    Either way, this was a good lesson for him. That guy was at the peak of rank 2 and just was enough topletely overwhelm him.

    The difference in each level in rank 2 was greater than rank 1 and that was probably the case for higher ranks, perhaps even more so.

    It was a mystery how that guy knew he killed other warlocks, he clearly came seeking revenge.

    But Esdras was not even sure how he knew, after all, as far as he was aware there shouldn''t have been any evidence.

    Although he was certain they were going to meet another time Esdras just wanted to kill him now. It was not very nice knowing there was a powerful and vengeful enemy hunting him out there.

    That guy even had a title, he was the first person besides himself that had one. Well, he didn''t spend much time in this world so it couldn''t be helped.

    "Oh, where''s Celine by the way?" Esdras asked.

    David''s face turned ashen.

    Esdras felt his smile fading.

 Chapter 68 Iâ€™m Just Like You

    " she''s ¡­ fine she''s doing okay, she''s just tired," David said, frowning.

    Esdras controlled himself and calmed down, " tell me what happened, and I mean everything."

    He should have known, that''s right, how did he survive? He definitely should have died. It wasn''t just a normal injury that could be restored even with an intermediate-level health potion.

    Several of his internal organs werepletely destroyed. Even if he was on a scientifically advanced earth, he would have died right then.

    It was only because of the existence of something absurd like magic that he could have survived. But this world did not have any healing magic.

    Moreover, it was not healing that was required. It was regeneration, which he reckoned was not a low-level healing spell or such even if that kind of magic existed.

    Whatever it was, it would not have been easy. Did Celine have such magic? Honestly, he doubted that. Moreover, he remembered seeing her in despair before his death.

    If she had such magic at her disposal, then she wouldn''t have panicked as much. How did she save him?

    Even if such magic as regeneration was possible, it had to be done extremely quickly before his death. And he was bleeding like there was no tomorrow.

    If so, then the magic that healed him must have been used very quickly after he lost consciousness. What happened exactly?

    Was there a passing Master mage who took a liking to him? Could a Master mage even do something like that?

    No, he had to stop with all the spection. He was not getting anywhere, he had to talk to Celine herself.

    David shook his head, " it''s nothing, she was fine until we arrived in the fortress but she wouldn''t answer any of my questions, she seemed¡­ out of it, unresponsive. Honestly a little unfeeling? I don''t know how to describe it but she''s probably just tired."

    "What did she do aftering here? Did she say something? Anything?" Esdras pressed.

    "After we arrived, she just passed out. The physicians just said that she was exhausted and that she needed time to sleep. She''s in her room."

    Esdras calmed down slightly after hearing that. Everything could be solved as long as he was alive. He wanted to go and check up on her right now, but he held himself back.

    Whatever it is that she did, it must not have been easy, it couldn''t have been. So it was better to let her rest for now. The time for asking questions willeter.

    A shocking explosion outside of the fortress told them that something important was happening.

    Cautiously, Esdras and David did not approach very close. And yet they were still able to see senior Ron crashing into the upper wall, surrounded by a sphere of green winds. Without which he would have died.

    The impactpletely destroyed that wall, creating a crack simr to the one that the chameleon was protecting. Tens of soldiers died in the impact and more after the wall fragments fell all over.

    Senior Ronnded safely and jumped back up on another part of the wall. His mana, which was said to rival that of Great mages was unleashed creating a green aura around him.

    He took out a chain from which several metal pieces in the shape of stars, looked to be finely crafted and released a shocking magical resonance.

    Subsequently, they were shot out once they were released they started gathering wind. While others were focused on what was happening outside he noticed senior Ron taking a blue potion after staggering on his knees.

    And for a while, something that they couldn''t see started happening outside the fortress. However, they were able to see the result. A small tornado appeared.

    They could see several humanoid shapes flying within the tornado. There were some trees and animals too as well.

    The tornado onlysted for a few minutes, not more than five by his estimation. But when it stopped more than five warlocks were sliced into bits and scattered with disgusting thuds.

    Again, there was chaos on the outside, and the ground shook and shook There was also a bright sh of fire thatpletely burned down the entirety of the forest section that the fortress was in.

    Finally, at dawn, the warlocks retreated it for good.

    All that was left, was to bury the dead. The apprentices and the soldiers and everyone started cleaning up. Esdras was numb to the number of bodies sprawled around him.

    He didn''t know why, it was like he couldn''t feel anything other than just a nk feeling. He thought that he should have been disgusted or brimming with sympathy and sorrow.

    But he just couldn''t bring himself to feel those things.

    David who is dragging another body suddenly stopped and marched up to senior Ron and points at him.

    "What the hell is going on? Can we ask that now? Is it all right?" His voice had a dangerous mocking tone, "How many more of us have to die without knowing anything? And don''t even try that stuff about the war or something."

    Senior Ron remain silent, which only edged David further.

    "What fucking orc king? What ten thousand orcs you can trickmoners with that bullshit. I know very well, that three Great mages are more than enough to destroy that entire army in a single afternoon. I don''t mind doing work for the tower but I¡­ at least I want to know why?"

    Esdras didn''t expect David to blow up and I''ve senior Ron of all people, and so publicly too? He didn''t know how to salvage in this situation.

    This was something that urred to him but he didn''t know how powerful a Great mage waspared to a True mage so he wasn''t sure. On the other hand, David seemed certain.

    However, if it came to it, he might have to leave the Octarine tower¡­

    Actually, would it not make sense? If he thought about it, after experiencing the powers of rank 2 and especially those high-level rank 2 he could guess that the power of Great mages must be ten times that.

    Add on top of that the magic items in the possession of the tower. The orc army should not have been able to make a fuss for so long.

    This meant one of two things, the orcish army was much stronger than they knew. This was a real possibility, as he had seen one of the Warriors that orc was a rank 2.

    The second possibility was that the tower was putting on a show. The problem was he couldn''t figure out why.

    Senior Ron suddenly sighed.

    " do you think I know? Does it look like I know what the higher-ups are thinking? I''m just like you, I don''t know what''s going on, all I know is that I have to follow my orders. The hard part is over. That is the good news. I think that we will be recalled soon."

    Esdras did not expect that Senior Ron wouldn''t blow up in anger it looked like he was frustrated just like them.

 Chapter 69 Anxious In Times Of Peace

    Just like that, the confrontation ended in an anticlimax that left everyone even more confused than they were before.

    Esdras wasn''t that bothered since he wasn''t very interested in what the higher-ups had in mind. At least it was over now.

    And more importantly, he had other things to worry about.

    Esdras watched over Celine in her sleep as she took one breath after another. He wanted to give her a health potion but she looked fine as if there was nothing wrong with her.

    After helping the others, burying the dead, and cleaning some of the rubble and broken walls. He finally settle down.

    Everyone started to return to their regr selves, but it was not something easy, especially for him. Although he was eating, he did not feel the test in the food.

    He was constantly thinking about Celine, every few hours he would go and check up on her. Seeing as he couldn''t stop himself or focus on anything he decided to move into a room so that he could check up on her at any time.

    A day passed peacefully. However, Celine did not wake up yet.

    On this day he heard from David that Robert was taken by the only surviving True mage besides Ron. The one who had that giant chameleon as his familiar.

    Apparently, he performed really well in the battle and was taken by that mage to join the Hooded delvers. This was a faction created by a joint effort in the Octarine tower.

    It was like a legion of active mages, their duties included, guarding some important locations of the tower.

    But their most important mission and the reason they were created in the first ce was to explore the Mysterious maze under Mount kalistmore.

    Naturally, he was not happy that Robert managed to get away. The problem was at this rate he want to be able to kill Robert during the Rite of passage as nned.

    This is because now that Robert joined a faction, he will go through a simr test, but under the faction itself. Moreover, he heard that those who joined the Hooded delvers were forced to undergo a period of isted training, where they were cut off from the rest of the world.

    During this time, it would be basically impossible to get to him. Of course, you could think of somewayter on, but it still didn''t sit well with him then enemy that''s cute against him multiple times once again.

    However, there was a strange detail in David''s recount of the events. It seemed like Robert did not want to join the Hooded delvers but was forcefully enlisted by that mage.

    And they even took off without much fanfare.

    However, on another note that was not too far from this one. Tara is still here. His previous n to frame her as a deserter fell through because of the attack of the warlocks.

    As he was sure, she already imed that she escaped after the attack started. Many apprentices did the same thing, and he couldn''t prove anything against her with his words alone.

    But that didn''t matter it was just her luck that she managed to stay alive. But unlike Robert, she wasn''t going anywhere.

    As long as that was the case he could figure out many, many methods to torment her and eventually get rid of her.

    On a slightly unexpected note, it seemed like David and his reputation in the ss has underwent an earth-shaking change.

    Turns out the dozens of apprentices held up with Celine reported that David rescued them by distracting the monsters. And when David was summoned by senior Ron he told him that it was a joint effort.

    Thanks to that they were regarded as heroes.

    Esdras took this chance to reveal that he became a level 4 apprentice mage. This news naturally caused an uproar that elevated his reputation leaks beyond normal.

    However, unexpectedly senior Ron did not call for him yet. Naturally, he''s put out this information right now, so that it would not be too much of a surprise when he advanced as a True mage.

    He also wanted to see what kind of reaction. This kind of thing will get.

    After all, the advancement of apprentices was not just a simple process of umting energy. It required engraving the sigils and connecting them with the secondary sigils.

    It was not something that could happen overnight. However, he chose to do this now because it was something small, he was just an apprentice right now, in the eyes of most True mages no matter what he did, he would be unworthy of their attention.

    Another day passed and Celine didn''t wake up yet. Esdras was starting to worry it was extremely anxious and on edge.

    The more normal, she seemed the more abnormal of a situation it truly was. If the dungeon wasn''t destroyed, he would have liked to go to kill monsters not even for the EXP but just to blow off some steam.

    Esdras decided to get busy with something before he lost his mind, then he remembered that he actually didn''t see what he got inside of the treasure chests which he got on thest floor.

    Who knows there could be something interesting, or maybe something that could help Celine.

    Actually, now that he thought about it, he did not digest any of the games he made during that night. It was incredibly hectic and hellish by the end, but he did end up making a lot of gains.

    Massive amounts of EXP and that was even some kind of legacy magic? It sounded really cool. There were a lot of things that he didn''t pay attention to rightfully so his life was constantly in danger.

    To think that all of that happened in a single night? Truly frightening¡­

    Wait, he wasn''t actually sure if the dungeon was destroyed or not, at the time he didn''t have the leisure to pay attention.

 Chapter 70 Suspicious Circumstances

    Anyway, since he was in his shared room with Celine, he was in a private enough ce.

    But just in case, he decided to use one of the Spy eyes to keep watch around the room and make sure that no one came here by ident.

    These were the same [Ageruus creeper''s] eyes of which he had many in his possession. But calling them Spy eyes is easier on the tongue, so he decided to call them that from now on.

    He he like those eyes very much, despite being a low level, magic item, they were extremely useful and practical. Just one of them was enough to cover a 200 meter radius!

    Their utility to stick on walls and objects and be no different than a green stain was perfect to camouge them.

    Unfortunately this meant that each eye had to be stuck very carefully as they couldn''t be removed and used some ce elseter. This was a fair deal since they already so useful already.

    The first treasure chest contained many potions stacked in drawers throughout the big chest.

    There was a special looking box ced on top inside he found five intermediate health potions that could be used to heal fatal injuries and even reattach limbs if they haven''t been cut off for more than 24 hours.

    Unfortunately it was not capable of regenerating whole organs.

    There were also two special potions called Alien intelligence and flight. ording to his appraisal, using his [Third eye] he was able to figure out their effects.

    The flight potion, as the name implied enabled flight. But not just that, it seems like he could fly as fast as a Roc for three hours. He wasn''t sure what that meant but it was ssified as a Very rare potion.

    The Alien intelligence potion was another Very rare grade potion, it could triple the learning speed of whoever consumed it for three hours.

    This made his heart beat faster, this potion could be used to learn anything without restrictions. He could hardly imagine what it would be like if he used it to learn spells with his already ridiculous talent.

    The rest of the chest contained health, stamina and even mana potions, all low grade. A lot of them too. More than fifty of each type. This was just the first chest!

    What kind of treasure did he get his hands on?! It was worth it to spend all that time to clear the dungeon already.

    "Ugh"

    He was about to check on the remaining two chests when he heard a weak groan behind him. Like lightning he turned around and saw Celine''s eyes flutter open.

    He held her hand gently and called out to her hoping for her to wake uppletely.

    "Hey, hey, Celine¡­ it''s me, wake up. Open your eyes¡­ please."

    Celine''s eyes finally opened and then closed quickly, unustomed to the light. Seeing this it was like a boulder was moved off of his chest and he could finally breath again.

    "Hey, sleepyhead, wake up already¡­ you had me worried there for a second."

    "W-what¡­ happened?" Celine rose to sit upright on the bed but she almost fell back down if not for Esdras catching her.

    "Whoa there, take it easy. No need to rush. How are you feeling?"

    Esdras wanted to bombard her with endless questions but he held back. He knew that this was not the time, before any of that he had to make sure that everything was fine with Celine.

    Next, Celine needed to use the restroom and took a bath. After she was done Esdras ordered the servants to bring food in the room.

    "What, why all this?" Celine looked confused, "isn''t it too much to eat in the room?"

    At these questions, Esdras narrowed his eyes, "of course, it''s for you. You need to rest a while and rx."

    "Me? But¡­ why me? We all worked hard and made it back safely. If anyone should take it easy, it''s you! Your n to save me was reckless, you shouldn''t havee for me."

    Esdras fell into deep thought. It seemed like Celine and him weren''t on the same page. She was acting strange.

    "I mean, of course it''s you. I don''t know what you did to save me back then. I didn''t want to ask now but, your acting weird." Esdras frowned.

    "Me? Save you? From what?" Celine looked like she wasn''t acting but of course she couldn''t have forgotten that incident right? That was unreasonable.

    "¡­ you don''t remember?" Esdras asked blinking repeatedly, "the ambush, the right side of my body being decayedpletely?"

    Celine looked absolutely stunned, "you''re joking right? Is this a prank?¡­ you''re taking it too far."

    "What do you remember exactly?" Esdras suppressed his frustration and asked slowly. Losing his temper on her would be unforgivable.

    "I¡­ I just remember youing to save me that night, then we joined up with David and went back to the fortress right? Was I too tired? I must''ve slept as soon as we came back¡­"

    Celine recounted the events and this time even she could tell that something was wrong with Esdras''s expression.

    "You really don''t remember?" Esdras asked one final time.

    Celine looked like she was struggling to think hard but she sadly shook her head in the end. "No, I''m sorry. I¡­I can''t remember what you talked about."

    "It''s fine, it''s fine. The most important thing is that you''re fine. Juste here, sit and start eating. For now just don''t think about these things, be sure to tell me if you feel any difort anywhere okay? I''m sure you will rememberter."

    Esdras sat her down on the bed and started feeding her despite her protests. There was ham and cheese, also some beans and bread. It wasn''t much but it was actually the best that was avable here.

    To be honest this matter weighted heavily on his heart, even more after hearing that she didn''t remember. He felt a dark ominous pressure around him, this matter has be very suspicious.

    But, at the very least Celine was fine.

    "Idiot," a deep twisted voice mocked, "your woman has already been taken kekeke. And you can''t do anything about it."

 Chapter 71 Impending Doom (1)

    "Who said that? Show yourself!" Esdras looked around and made sure with the spy eye but he still didn''t find anyone around.

    "What''s wrong?" Celine asked concernedly.

    "Didn''t you hear that? Just now someone¡­ " Esdras rubbed his eyes, even though his eyes had nothing to do with hearing.

    "She can''t hear me, dumbass. I''m here, look inside. For fucks sake, I can''t believe I have to deal with this level of walking heap of waste."

    Esdras looked around once again and narrowed his eyes. It was then that he remembered something, without further ado he started meditating and looked at his sea of consciousness in his spirit body.

    There, he saw a ck lump of coal? Well, it looked like one with red mes for eyes. It was what remained of that rank 4 being after the divine shard was done with it. It looked slightly different from thest time he saw it.

    "Oooh, you figured it out faster than I thought you would, not bad, not bad."

    That thing talked noting but shit so far.

    Esdras didn''t find a way to exorcise it yet but at this moment that moved up in his priority list.

    "What are you thinking about? Let me guess, you''re trying to think of a way to get rid of me or purge me out of you? Well, good. That means we''re on the same page! I want to get out as well!"

    Esdras has had enough, "okay then why waste time talking? Get the hell out of here already. You don''t want to stay and I don''t want you to stay, isn''t that great? So, get going, I won''t be seeing you out."

    Naturally while he was still cautious of the rank 4 being, it was abundantly clear this thing was not what it used to be. It was a shell of it''s former self and it continued to disrespect him so why should he be polite?

    "Hehe you have a long tongue, brat. Do you think I want to stay here? But the truth is I can''t get out any time soon. Either way, now is not the time for that, naturally I will get out in time. For now there''s something much more important that you have to do for me."

    "I have to? I don''t think I have to do anything for you." Esdras snorted, he wasn''t sure what this thing was even getting at. However, it seemed like getting out was, interestingly not it''s priority.

    What could overtake such a matter?

    "It''s not just for me, it''s for you too. If you want to live that is." The creature''s ming eyes expanded.

    "So, what is it? What is this urgent thing that needs to be done to save my life?" Esdras rolled his eyes. He heard this plot several times, it''s a clich¨¦.

    "You have to get out of this world. And quickly too, before it''s toote." The creature warned with a grave tone.

    ? "Leave this world?" Esdras asked back, this was not the request he expected to hear, "what do you mean before it''s toote? And how am I supposed to leave this world anyway?"

    Actually, he was nning to leave this world too. But only after getting the second divine shard hidden in this world. After all, the rest of the shards were hidden in different worlds and he had to get them.

    However, he never actually thought about how he was going to do it yet. After all, it was going to happen some timeter in the future, he could think of a wayter.

    Besides, the one time he traveled between different worlds it was using the shard already in his possession and he had no hand in it.

    So, he thought that the next shard will probably take him to the next world. After all, neswalkers were not called neswalker for no reason.

    "I''m telling you this, but listen carefully, soon, this world will experience an event known as Convergence. This means that several higher level worlds will collide and fuse with this one. As you can imagine this is not a seamless process, it''s a catastrophic affair."

    Esdras silently listened without interrupting the monster, it sounded serious and at all joking like before. He could even detect a hint of fear in it.

    "The powerful beings in those worlds will try to im this world for their own, you can''t even dream of putting up a fight against them. So, the obvious thing to do is to run away. It''s also impossible for you, but fortunately, you have me, and I happen to know of a few methods."

    "Sounds scary, but how do I trust you? Why should I believe anything you say? How do you even know all this? To me it looked like you were happy toe here." Esdras wasn''t green behind the ears, he wouldn''t just take the word of this highly suspicious being.

    "How do I know? In my prime I was much more powerful than you can understand. One of my abilities that remained somewhat intact was to read fate."

    "You''re not a rank 4?" Esdras asked just to make sure.

    "Rank 4?" The monster snorted in disdain, "that was only what I managed to recover after thousands of years of being on the verge of death. Rank 4? That''s a joke!"

    "So, you saw the fate of this world?" Esdras asked, he was very interested in this. As for the bragging of this fossil, he woulde back to itter.

    "No, I didn''t. This is why I know it''s bad, the fate of this world was already disturbed and twisted I couldn''t read it, it''s too convoluted now, anyone trying to peer into it will pay a heavy price. But I experienced something like this before."

    "How was it?" Esdras curiously asked.

    "How? Awesome! I devoured so much Origin I could puke. Damn, it was one hell of an opportunity. At that time I was one of the great beings attacking that poor world. Hehehe. I''m telling you there''s no way those guys will let this slip by their fingers."

    ''Origin¡­? As in Origin points? Is it the same thing?'' Honestly, Esdras didn''t know what to think about this right now. Everything was starting to get confusing and clearer at the same time.

 Chapter 72 Impending Doom (2)

    But this could be used to get something he wanted, "okay, let''s say for the sake of argument that it''s true. You need me to do things towards that end right? Then you need to earn my trust, why don''t we start with something simple? Tell me what happened that night and what''s wrong with Celine."

    In fact this whole thing started because he thought this thing must''ve seen what happened that night while he was¡­ dying. If so, then he could solve the mystery for him.

    "It''s not thatplicated she just sold her soul to save you. Okay, now let''s talk about important matt¡ª"

    "Stop! Exin properly. This is a very important matter for me." Esdras made sure to stress his words to make his point.

    "Fine. I wanted to avoid useless exnations. There isn''t much else to say anyway, while you were dying she desperately wanted to save you, but she couldn''t. That was probably when she heard a voice answer her call. It''s a ssic really not very creative but still gets the job done."

    "You said probably? Are you not sure." Esdras didn''t want to hear guesswork he wanted to know what truly transpired.

    " I am telling you what I observed, and what I perceive to have happened. Based on my knowledge and experiences. In exchange for her soul, your life was saved, the end."

    Esdras was furious with this annoying attitude, but he couldn''t see much about it for an hour. He wanted to focus on the matter attend.

    "Who, who was it that answered her call? And where is her soul now? Is the Celine I was talking to just now not really her? Is something using her body?"

    " who is it? It''s difficult to tell since I haven''t spent any time in this world. I can''t really tell the specific being responsible. But I can tell you that it was someone from the Shadow realm of this world. Moreover, that being didn''te itself, it couldn''t manifest in this material ne, but it did send a subordinate."

    "Now about your question, the simple answer is no. No one is using her body. It''s actually her, still in there. Technically."

    "What does that mean? Do I have to ask every once in a while?" Esdras I was getting dangerously angry.

    " I''m collecting my thoughts idiot. It''s because you''re so ignorant that I have to exin things including the basics just so that you can understand what I''m trying to say. Now, let me just start by saying that the spiritualposition of living beings constitutes three things: the true soul, the soul and the spirit."

    Esdras started to understand why he needed to know everything starting from the basics. It was just information that was unavable to him.

    "Okay, so without going into boring and unnecessary detail. I can say with certainty that woman''s soul and spirit are still intact, but a fragment of her true soul has already been taken. This means that one day she herself will be takenpletely to the shadow realm. When will that happen, you want to ask? I don''t know about the details of the agreement, all I know are the surface level details."

    So it turns out that things were not fine after all, although it seemed that Celine was fine for now, but she was actually going to be taken to the shadow realm.

    It just seemed very strange to him, why do this? What was the intention of that being from the shadow realm? He suspected that it was not a kind hearted phnthropist I just wanted to help.

    No. There had to be a reason why Celine was targeted. Actually, the timing could not have been any more perfect to lure Celine into making the deal. And he was responsible for it.

    " but why her? Or was it me they were targeting? How could they pick the perfect moment?" Esdras questioned.

    " it''s not a coincidence obviously, that girl was long since shadow-touched, perhaps even the moment she was born. This was simply her fate. If not for that moment, it would have happened either way."

    Either way? Her fate? Esdras could not except such an absurd fate. It was ridiculous. His fist fighting so much that his nails drew blood from his palms.

    " how strong do you think that being is? If I defeat, whoever took her soul, can I return her back before the agreement is fulfilled?" This is what he needed to know the most.

    " theoretically¡­ it is possible. But the shadow realm, and the spirit realm of any material world are always of a higher level. Meaning that the strongest beings in the shadow realm, should be stronger than the strongest beings in the material world."

    That was fine, Esdras just wanted to know if it was possible or not. As long as it was possible, then he could do it. He will definitely do it no matter what.

    " how can I get to the shadow realm?" Esdras asked.

    "Listen to me, this is not important. The shadow realm, and the spirit realm are considered the two mirrors. During the Convergence they will fuse with the material world. What do you have to do now is think about leaving this world fast and as soon as possible. This won''t be easy even truly powerful beings need to prepare truly before attempting to leave a world."

    " how long do I have before this apocalypse happens?"

    " I don''t know, this is a rough estimation, but you don''t have much time it will be around 300 years? Give or take."

    Esdras:¡­.

    "What? I''m not kidding I''m not even trying to scare you. I''m telling you the truth, although it''s just spection. Don''t be too scared as long as you listen to me and do as I say we will be able to leave this world maybe in 100 or 200 years. By the time the real mess starts here we will be long gone."

    " 300 years? I will just leave this task to my grandchildren. I''m not even 20." Esdras scoffed.

 Chapter 73 Queen Of Dusk And Gloom

    Three hundred years was three lifetimes, why would he need to worry about something like that?

    He would rather focus on getting Celine''s true soul back. As for three hundred yearster? Who knows if he was going to be a fossil then¡­

    Oh, wait, his brain must''ve short-circuited, or rather, he was just not used to fantasy world lifespans. Presuming that he would rise in ranks throughout the time it would not be unusual for him to be alive 300 yearster.

    " I said 300 yearster things will be messy I didn''t say the Convergence will only start then. Some symptoms of it must have already started appearing in this world. For example, the appearance of dungeons. Later on the level of the world will start increasing."

    "So, you''re saying it''s not just a single moment or an event that will suddenly spring up. What does the increase in delivery of the world mean? How old is the world change?" Esdras observed.

    " it looks like you can still understand a little bit. They increase in the level of the world means many things, most importantly, that the rank cap will expand along with the level of the world. Meaning that the world will be able to sustain beings of rank 5 and 6 very soon. Higher beings like the one who took that girl''s true soul."

    This left him in deep thoughts, it was not a simple matter. He may have to deal with something extremely dangerous in the future.

    Running away didn''t sound like a bad idea. All he had to do is save Celine and get that divine shard before things get out of hand, only then could he really go another world without a worry.

    " so what do I have to do? Should I look for a special ce? Probably some important items or materials?" Esdras asked.

    " yes, of course you have to gather some special materials but there is no need for a special ce or anything like that. The most important thing is that you must cultivate a blood moon crystal for me. It needs around a hundred thousand sacrifices give or take."

    " sacrifices? A hundred thousand what?" Esdras frowned.

    "Humans of course, well any rank 2 creature will do, as long as you mark them with the special insignia that I will give youter. Actually, there is an easier method if you get of them all in a city or something, you can inscribe a formation underneath them and we can be done much faster."

    " do you want me to kill that many? That''s insane. And they all have to be rank 2? You''re out of your mind I''m not some genocidal maniac. I''m human too."

    Although Esdras did not think of himself as a saint, he was not a mindless murderer, either. It was inconceivable for him to kill that many people.

    " why do you care so much? They''re just mortals. And what do you mean that you''re human?"

    " that is a strange question. Do you not know what the human is?" Clear dealing with this monster was not going to be easy. It truly perceived humans as mortals.

    " I know. I just want to know who told you that you''re human. Because you''re not human." There was now a gloating tone with thatugh.

    " what do you mean? I am not human I have been born human, and I''ve always been a human." Esdras frowned.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    " you can''t be serious. You are not human. Is a goblin also a human just because it''s a humanoid? You are not human. I don''t know if you were born human or not, but that doesn''t matter you are not a human as of now."

    "What¡­" Esdras remembered in this moment that the system had ssified him a little differently. What is this? They were too many questions.

    " don''t think too much about it. I don''t want to pressure you. If you don''t like my n, then you''re free to think of a n on your own that doesn''t involve sacrificing many people. I didn''t have enough time to explore this world, so perhaps you might find something of use."

    " but¡­ let me tell you one thing. Holding on to these feelings of mortals will not do you any good. One day you will understand what I mean. You may think it''s harsh or unreasonable, but the truth of the world is that weaklings exist to serve stronger beings."

    Esdras didn''t answer. He simply ended his meditation, because that lump of coal was cooling down and turning into that white flipped up spirit, it reminded him of a dead fish.

    It looks like he couldn''t remain active for long which was truly fortunate, Esdras was tired of hearing his voice.

    Esdras did not trust the words of this stranger however, he had a way to confirm it himself. It was some thing that he hadn''t tried before.

    It was one of the traits that you obtained, after fusing with the divine shard, Divination. He was going to see for himself what happened that night.

    The Divination trait can be used at the cost of Origin points, since he had plenty on him right now, 33 to be exact.

    Within his mind he willed the trait to activate, this is when more information rushed into his head. This information exined how the trait could be used currently.

    There were certain limitations due to the fact that the divine shard is iplete right now. Also he couldn''t directly divine his future.

    Esdras could think of one or two methods to do indirectly though.

    However this time he wanted to see what happened on that night after he lost consciousness. As the divine shard responded to his will, an image appeared in his mind.

    He was in a horrible state and had just closed his eyes. He could see Celine crying and wailing with tears streaming down her face.

    Suddenly a green ghostly magic circle appeared nearby, an a creature wearing ck robes and chains attached to various skulls, these skulls belonged to different creatures.

    Celine backed away in fright:

    "Do bot be rmed¡­" said the voice that sounded like it came from the depths of hell, "I am a servant sent by my great mistress, she has heard your pleas and responded. Rejoice, mortal, mydy, the Queen of dusk and gloom hase to your aid. For a small price¡­ what do you say?"

 Chapter 74 Pawn

    Hearing these words Esdras''s expression was twisted in rage, he was shaking internally at being used by these evil bastards so easily.

    Celine was doing much better than expected, she was quick to suppress her fear of this monster. Perhaps it was because her mind was already upied.

    "Y-you, can you save this man? If you do I don''t care what you want from me, I will give anything in return."

    The twisted dark cloaked wraithughed, "very well, a deal struck with my mistress is a deal that cannot be broken in truth. Give me a drop of your blood and I will know if you are lying or trying to deceive me."

    The wraith unfurled his hand that was covered in te armor. Celine did not hesitate, she was in a hurry, if Esdras died then he couldn''t be saved at all.

    She bit her finger and a drop of blood fell on the wraith''s hand creating a sizzling noise.

    "Hmm, very well. The agreement is simple, we save this man and you wille to the shadow realm where you will be reborn as a servant of my queen, for eternity. Now this man will be saved and restored to full health, and now a fragment of your true soul will be taken to ensure you won''t back out. Is this agreeable?"

    "When will I have to go to the shadow realm?" Celine asked.

    "When my queen deems, I do not presume to know." The wraith answered.

    "Fine, but can you also make it so that I will forget this? I¡­ I don''t want these memories until I get taken to the shadow realm¡­"

    "¡­. My queen has agreed."

    Suddenly the weather above started to change from clear sky to dark clouds blocking the stars.

    Esdras couldn''t see clearly but he could see an indistinct figure of an elegant woman in a gothic dress. Her features were unclear and her entire existence was flickering.

    This was only a projected image.

    She reached out with her hand and pointed at the dying Esdras from afar. Suddenly, his organs and flesh started growing back at iprehensible speed.

    Within a few blinks, when he was dying without hope, he was now back to normal as if he wasn''t injured in the first ce. It was an otherworldly power that defiedmon sense and made a deadly blow into an insignificant event.

    He was literally saved with a gesture.

    Seeing this Celine smiled in relief and even as the Queen pointed at her to extract a golden glowing fragment of her true soul, she didn''t seem to mind in the slightest.

    This scene was in engraved into Esdras''s mind and body as he watched himself in the memory lying there helplessly, unaware of what was even happening around him.

    He even had the gall to think that everything was going to be fine. That he somehow, miraculously survived without any consequences.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    However reality was far from being that nice! How could things happen for bo reason?

    The memories ended and Esdras was back in the real world. He got up and walked out of the room telling Celine that he was going for a walk.

    He didn''t stay or look back because he didn''t want her to see his face, right now he was experiencing a flood of mixed emotions.

    He got out of the fortress and deep into the forest. It was then that he used his Divination trait again. He had to confirm something.

    This time the scene he was watching was before he was ambushed by that warlock. He wanted to know how he was held in ce and didn''t notice the existence of the warlock.

    He was cautiously traveling with Celine and David when he suddenly froze in ce. Through the effect of the divination he was able to see several ethereal chains binding his body and ck shadow blocking his eyes.

    He didn''t see those things back then, they werepletely new to him. That was when the divination took him somewhere else, not too far but it did bypass the warlock.

    Into the forest, he once again saw that chained wraith, the servant of the Queen of dusk and gloom. He was the one who blocked his senses and held him in ce.

    The divination ended and he was once again back in the real world. Suddenly he startedughing, really hard like someone who just heard the joke of the century.

    He held his stomach and leaned on the trunk of a nearby tree. Heughed andughed, it was like he won''t ever stopughing. But then he suddenly stopped.

    Under the light of the sun, the shadows hid his face in darkness and it couldn''t be seen. Esdras then pulled out a waterskin and washed his face in that cold water.

    His expression returned to calmness. There was no used in fussing over things that were now beyond his control. The solution is easy.

    To get stronger.

    It was simple, notplicated. Not easy but simple. He had the means to get stronger than anyone else, faster than anyone else. That was the truth.

    He came to this world a month ago and he was already a Rank 2 being, he was sure of himself. So what if it was some so-call queen?

    She dared to scheme against him and trap his woman? Fine! Then she should be prepared to see the consequences of her actions.

    He was not some ant that could be used and then disposed of so easily. He was going to make her regret saving his life. She will look upon this day and curse herself to death, yet not being able to die.

    However, Celine¡­ he couldn''t reveal that he knew what happened. She wanted to forget so that she wouldn''t be constantly worrying about when she was going to be taken.

    So, he had to treat her like normal and pretend that he didn''t know, for her sake.

 Chapter 75 Shackles Of The Divine Shard

    Esdras returned back andforted Celine, soon she went back to sleep and Esdras left the room. He climbed up one of the few towers that remained intact in the fortress.

    At that very high peak he felt a refreshing breeze blowing on him, bringing him a sense of peace.

    He had consumed three Origin points, two in the first divination and one in the second. This was a costly ability.

    Especially since Origin points were very hard to acquire, and he still didn''t figure out a way to get many of them, except for clearing dungeons.

    He may even has to be the first to clear the dungeon in order to get anything. This was a hard currency.

    To be honest, he wanted to define the future of the world to verify the truth.

    But he was actually apprehensive of the bacsh after all, if even a monster like that, was it scared of it, and someone like him probably wouldn''t be able to withstand it.

    ? So he decided to hold on for a bit. Instead, he decided do use eight points to increase his talent. The better his talent, the faster he would be able to grow.

    With a thought the screen that only he could see shed and a message appeared.

    [Error! Unqualified actions cannot be approved.]

    [Further enhancement is only possible after absorbing one or more divine shards.]

    Esdras was dismayed, to think that he would face such a letdown. So, for some reason, his talent could not be upgraded above level three without absorbing the next divine shard.

    But the problem was, he did not even know where the next divine shard was.

    However, now that he could use divination not only could he figured out where the divine shard was hidden he could also figure out the best time to take it.

    Divination was such a powerful ability.

    The problem was the amount of origin point this would cost, what is it worth it to use his few remaining points on this?

    He''s talent was already good right now it was just that he wascking time and resources, i.e spells. That being the case he still would prefer to know where the shard was.

    But perhaps he should wait on it, it was not an easy decision. It was because not all divinations cost the same amount someone more costly than others.

    So instead of using any more origin points he decided to hold onto them until he made up his mind.

    Seeing that he was highly dependent on dungeons he figured that he should create some kind of organization to seek out dungeons out there.

    He only found this one byplete ident, finding dungeons that are scattered throughout the world will be extremely difficult, especially since he had to learn spells and to perform duties for the magic tower.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    There was another way that you could check up on that pharaoh''s ims without using any origin points. There was another tab in the system, which indicated the level of the world.

    The first time he checked it, the world was at level 2.5 which he found odd back then. This time it look like this:

    Arandos, world level: 2.6

    It had indeed increased, this was proof that the level of the world was actually increasing. It was indeed, as that pharaoh said. At least about this part.

    However, it was still 2.5 just a month ago and it increased right now of all times? Was that a coincidence?

    He could not help but remember that he was the one who discovered and cleared the first dungeon in Arandos. For some reason that felt to him like a trigger. And he was the one who pulled it.

    He also remembered one of the messages that he got when he cleared the dungeon, it said: the mirror are merging.

    And the pharaoh said that the shadow realm in the spirit realm we''re considered the mirrors of the material world. This meant that he elerated the arrival of the apocalypse himself.

    He could not be sure of anything else, after all, the best lies always had some bits and pieces of truth, mixed into them. However, he was still ignorant andcked a lot of information.

    He could imagine just how easy it would be to trick him. It was no different than the thousands and hundreds of thousands of scammers that manage to scam tourist.

    He had to level the ying field in order to actually protect himself. And he knew just how to attempt doing that. Although he was not sure what he could get out of it, but it was a start  at least.

    Next, he turned his attention to another trait that was previously grayed out, Memory slots. He did not know when he was able to use this memory slot precisely, but if he had to guess that it was probably when he became a rank 2 being.

    Finally, he gathered his courage and focused his mind on the memory slot. And suddenly a lot of information was injected into his mind.

    There was a lot of general information about the universe, and material worlds, the nes of existence, the great void and the great powers that collide with one another all the time.

    He also understood why the pharaoh use the word mortal so much, it was, because in the ssifications of the great worlds. Beings of ranks 1-4 are consider mortals.

    Beings of rank 5 and 6 were considered Higher beings, creatures that have shared that mortal coil and deserve to rule over lesser beings. Rank 5 was called the realm of lords.

    He did not get much information about the ranks after that.

    But he didn''t get a lot of information about the levels of the worlds how they were ssified, and the huge problem that was facing him right now.

    The shekels of the divine shard. There was a rank limit put on him ording to the amount of divine shards he had.

    And right now because he had one divine shard, his limit was rank 3. If he wanted to increase his limit, he needed to absorb another divine shard.

 Chapter 76 Vision Of An Inevitable Future

    This meant that he was stuck, no matter how much EXP he had he would never be able to breakthrough to rank 3.

    He thought that he had limitless growth potential but that was not exactly the case. It seems like the divine shard came with its limitations and conditions.

    He could not help but think that it was a deliberate design. Think about it, if someone else got this shard and wanted to simply farm EXP and rise in ranks infinitely they would have no insensitive to gather the rest of the shards.

    However, these circumstances forced him into a pinch. The Queen of dusk was a rank 5 being and he was limited to rank 3.

    If he wanted to save Celine''s soul before the apocalypse he had to get his hands on not one but two more shards to raise his rank limit to rank 5.

    There was another problem with this, he was forced to wait for the apocalypse to start if he wanted to achieve rank 5.

    This is because only a level 3 world or higher could sustain beings of that rank. As long as he didn''t dare to turn himself into a spirit of the two mirrors that is.

    However, he was not sure that even then he would be able to bypass the shackles of the divine shard. Honestly speaking it was something that wouldn''t be tricked by anything he could think of right now.

    In the first ce thinking of ways was pointless, instead, he should think of obtaining the next shard.

    This meant that he had to put the Origin points he had to use, an unfortunate turn of events but one that couldn''t be helped.

    but he had to be careful not to overspend. For example, if he first investigated where it was, what if it simply showed him the depth of the earth? Or an ind in the sea?

    Then he would have to use the trait again and again to get a hold of the proper details. It was a stupid way to lose out on an important resource.

    So, the best way was to use it once but for the most outstanding efficiency, he would ask when the best time for him to get the divine shard on Arandos. Although he didn''t like to praise himself much but this was actually a brilliant move.

    This way he was looking into what ''would'' be the best time, not directly looking into a future act that he would do. And on top of that, he would also know two more things, where the shard was and the best time for him to get his hands on it!

    As for why he targeted this world''s shard? It was obviously the closest and he didn''t have to travel to another world to get it. It was only national that he should get the one that required the least amount of work and effort.

    Rtively, of course.

    Without any hesitation, he used the trait.

    Esdras suddenly found himself in a vision, he saw the current world from a bird''s eye view. And then time began to move, slowly at first and then so much faster that he couldn''t tell what was happening anymore.

    He couldn''t tell many details except for the first few hundred years and the fact that Arandos was actually t. And it was the sun that orbited the world instead of the other way around.

    After who knows how long the world that only consists of one continent expanded over time to a ridiculous degree. In the past, he could see the two ends of the world but now it seemed endless and ever-expanding.

    Finally, the passing time slowed down enough so that he could see some things clearly. The sky had turned blood red and it was raining ash.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Countless corpses littered the earth, bodies without numbers belonging to thousands of races and monsters. Armor and weapons were the only survivors.

    This Arandos had three suns and fourteen moons of different colors. Through the veil of clouds and smoke, he caught a glimpse of sparklings that were floating above the continent but were in truth smaller in size than the Arandos he was seeing.

    ''What the¡­ what the hell is going on? Why am I even here? Did I ask the right question?''

    Esdras wondered if he somehow made a mistake. Because this couldn''t be the best time for him to get the divine shard right? Even he could see that.

    Abruptly he saw a system prompt.

    [Arandos haspleted the ascension to level seven: World ne.]

    At this prompt, he heard a screech that tore at his soul despite not being there.

    Then he could see a gargantuan serpent in space, it was so massive he could see its silhouette from here. The serpent had nine heads and twelve wings, it opened its mouth and swallowed one of the suns.

    Unironically.

    Several other figures appeared, despite them being very close on the continent not in space like the serpent he couldn''t see their true forms, just blurred silhouettes.

    Suddenly in the center of the continent, a great crystal rose from the earth. All the great beings rushed to get their hands on it.

    But the closest one to it was the spirit body of Esdras, whose expression now looked uglier than amb brought to the ughter. His eyes were red and blood shot out of his ears. He was screaming in pain as he tried to pull himself back up.

    "It''s toote," said a voiceing from behind him.

    He was dumbfounded, his mind was breaking down. Esdras''s vision blurred and he was back in the real world.

    ''Are you telling me now is the best time to get it? You want me to snatch food from the bellies of the gods and demons? Is this a new way tomit suicide? This is bullshit!''

    No, this can''t be right. He began to seriously doubt the divination trait.

    He did not believe in this evil vision. He used the divination trait again this time he wanted to see another time when he could get it.

    But he only saw a nk vision for a moment and knew the trait failed to activate. So¡­.

    That was not only the best opportunity to get the divine shard it was also the only time he could get it.

 Chapter 77 Reward X Request

    Esdras felt a headachee over him. This settles it. He had to find a way to travel to another world as soon as possible.

    This just became his greatest priority.

    Just now he lost 16 Origin points. A far too great a venture for what he got in return. In any case at the very least, he learned some valuable information in return.

    Seeking the shard in Arandos was pointless at this point. It was out of reach. It''s not that he didn''t want to try, but it was simply impossible to locate it because of the change in the continent in the future.

    So, he should start looking for a way to leave the world. From his interaction with the Pharaohst time he figured out something, world travel was not easy even for greater beings.

    ording to him, it should take at least two hundred years of preparation and the sacrifice of a hundred thousand rank 2 beings.

    Of course, he also mentioned that there might be other methods in this world, it was just that he did not have time to explore this world and see what other possibilities existed.

    Either way, it was clear that world travel was not easy. However, that may not be the case for Esdras, because he was a neswalker!

    In the first ce, when he came to this world he was just a normal human, without any preparations, or anything of that sort. And that was the power of only one shard.

    He was confident that he did not need 100 years to find a way to travel to another world. He did not have 100 years he must retrieve Celine''s true soul as soon as possible.

    For that reason, he needed at least two more shards. Esdras wasn''t going to throw away his life by challenging the queen of dusk unless he was of simr rank.

    It would be even better if he was at a higher rank just because he did not want any mishaps to happen.

    He did not want to fight her or anyone actually, he did not enjoy fighting very much. He just enjoyed overwhelming his opponents and suppressing them from a superior position.

    He just liked the feeling of wielding that much power at his fingertips... real, raw power.

    But where should he start searching? It was simple. The best ce was the Octarine tower. It was a well-established force within the continent right now.

    It possessed a long history and deep influence, the knowledge we had umted throughout this entire time, must be something to behold.

    It was a safe bet for sure. Although he might not find everything he needed, he was sure to find a clue at the very least.

    In the meantime, he will have to focus on learning and obtaining as many spells as possible. Of course, raising his level was a given.

    His limit was rank 3 so he still had room to grow right now, which he was not going to neglect. It was just going to be lower in priority, than searching for world travel clues and learning spells.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Esdras Varthos!"

    Esdras heard a voice calling his name, below the tower, it turned out to be one of the other apprentices. He came down to know what was going on. With his current standing, none of the apprentices would dare to call out to him without a good reason.

    "Senior Ron has called for you, you must see him at once." The apprentice said looking down respectfully.

    I''d rather fearfully. It was natural since in the past if they didn''t bully him, they at least did not try to help him.

    Esdras did not hold any grudges against them, even a guess the people who used to bully the old host. The only ones he wanted to deal with what are the ones who try to kill him ever since he arrived in this world.

    As for the others, it was not worth it to go after them. Most of them would either die in the Rite of passage or be ves. Oh, they could also be among the dead right now.

    This is not because Esdras was a forgiving person but because they did not offend him, while he owned this body.

    Not helping someone was not equivalent to harming them.

    Esdras was not nervous about being called. He just calmly headed to the meeting room. At the same time, he was wondering what the senior had to say.

    Will he finally ask about his rise in power in such a short amount of time? He must be curious. As any man in his position would be.

    Within the meeting room senior Ron was sitting on arge high-backed chair, and smoking from a pipe. There were two more people in the room.

    One of them was a familiar face, it was lieutenant Donnis Mulder, who was in truth, the Crown Prince in disguise.

    The other one was a fellow apprentice home. Whom he did not have much interaction with in the past. He was called, Daylen? Perhaps.

    He had a very small presence for a level 4 apprentice. He had long brown hair and an easy-going smile. Despite the ferocious battle a few days ago, he was not injured notice he seem in low spirits.

    "I am d that the three of you have made it. I apologize for calling you in the middle of the day. Daylen and Esdras, you two have performed the best among the apprentices for that reason, you will be rewarded generously in merit points. You will be granted an extra spell slot, you can cash it in for merit points, if you want or directly, choose a spell after advancing."

    Esdras knew that when True mages advance they are rewarded with seven spell slots from the tower. However, if they want to learn more spells, they have to earn merit points bypleting missions or tasks for the tower. An entire spell slot was not cheap.

    " you have earned this for your excellent performance, the tower does not neglect talented individuals. Now, I have called you for another matter as well. It''s a request from the sub-tower master herself, I won''t waste your time instead, you should hear it directly from her."

    Senior Ron then removed a cloth from the table, revealing a mage orb. It flickered with light, and then a figure was projected in front of their eyes.

 Chapter 78 The Octarine Tower

    What is the Octarine tower? It is an organization created after the alliance of the five magic towers that now dominate the Sarifal region.

    The tower of secrets, the crimson tower, the brown tower, the white tower, and the gold tower. The alliance had happened over a thousand five hundred years ago, and it had integrated into one organization in time.

    The purposes behind the creation of the alliance were many, one of them being to widen the learning opportunities of mages. Another was to share critical resources and allow ess to more talent pools.

    Of course, the most important reason behind it at the time was probably to counter the Elemental Congregation in the north.

    The Elemental Congregation was not an alliance, it was one magic tower swallowing the other two. That was a story for another time.

    The Octarine tower is ruled by five Master mages, the masters of each of the towers. But the Master mages were not bothered with the day-to-day operations of the tower.

    Instead, it was the Council of thirteen that did that. The council consisted of five sub-tower masters, the deputies who took care of most matters in ce of the Masters.

    The others were the leaders of some important factions and departments. The council oversees the tower and the most powerful in the council were naturally the sub-tower masters.

    They were the direct disciples of the Master mages and had the most say, each one of them was a powerhouse. Esdras was an apprentice of the Octarine tower but he was epted by the crimson tower faction and so the person he answered to was Meerh baster.

    She was the backbone of the crimson faction in the Octarine tower and the most important backer for them. Right now she was in the capital of Elbrim having answered the call personally.

    Right now she was projected into the room, sitting on a chair she had a wine ss in her right hand. The projection was in full color and very clear.

    She had a head of fiery-red hair that looked like mes leaping over her shoulders, and when she turned her eyes would stun those who dared meet them, they were red as rubes and even more enchanting. she showed thick lips with an unconceble sex appeal.

    She was wearing dark red robes, the dense elemental aura flowing from them indicating this was a rare mage robe that could provide a powerful boost to elemental magic.

    However, unlike normal robes the neck was cut exceedingly low, revealing fair flesh and a bit of two swollen globes. The elemental aura she continuously emanated made it obvious that she was a Great mage.

    Esdras and Daylen hurriedly ced their right hands on their hearts and bowed. Even if it was just a projection, her achievements in magic made her presence palpable as if she was really there.

    "I have heard of your outstanding work on this mission, good job. I assume Ron already told you about your reward? Good. However, I would like to offer you two another mission which you will be rewarded handsomely for."

    Her voice was energetic and it carried a certain charm. This came as a slight surprise to Esdras, as unlike her looks she was more than eighty years old. Although Great mages live to 150 or a little more that didn''t mean they could maintain the same enthusiasm.

    "I assume you want to know what the mission is, before answering?" Meerh asked.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Esdras didn''t dare to answer, the wrong word here could get him into a world of trouble. Fortunately, she didn''t wait for their answer.

    "Unfortunately that is not possible, you have to answer first. Although that is admittedly unfair, so I will at least tell you about your reward. If you satisfactorilyplete this mission you will get another spell slot and an enchanted rob like the one I''m wearing, of course, it will be of a lower grade."

    Esdras and Daylen exchanged looks and then answered simultaneously, "we are honored to ept."

    Meerh finally showed a slight smile and nodded in approval, "you two seem to know how to grab onto opportunity, very good."

    Esdras smiled warily in his heart, he had to ept either way. Refusing will ruin his first impression on a higher-up and who knows if she might get offended after getting rejected by an apprentice?

    For that, she might make his career a living hell.

    Unreasonable? Unfortunately, this is how some people were, the higher a position they''re in, the more tyrannical they be. Thanks to his background on Earth he was very well aware of how ego worked.

    Moreover, he had already calcted the risk, if the mission had to bepleted by apprentices then it was likely the level of danger wouldn''t exceed that.

    Of course, in case it did be really dangerous he was more than ready to run. After all, unexpected things do happen, especially in this time of turmoil.

    "You met lieutenant Donnis Mauler he is Gilderoy Elbrim II, the crown prince of Elbrim. You must escort him to the capital safely, he is also carrying an important royal relic that must also be kept safe. The details will be exined by Ron. Good luck."

    The light of the orb dimmed and vanished entirely. With that, there was a collective sigh of relief in the room. Esdras and Daylen looked at the crown prince and he smiled back in return.

    However, when he nced at Esdras he looked slightly embarrassed, probably remembering all the things he said when he was drunkst time.

    "Now, let me exin what the sub-tower master meant." Senior Ron took out a map of the kingdom and pointed at several roads, "you must not use any of these roads, your route must go along this path here and then cross over this bridge."

    "But," Daylen and Esdras had frowns on their faces, "these are all the well-built and safest routes... you want us to take the longer and more dangerous paths?"

    "There is a reason for everything," Ron said looking slightly troubled.

    Esdras sighed, he knew this was not going to be an easy mission.

 Chapter 79 Mission Details And Observing Eyes

    In the first ce the rewards were too generous! A spell slot was simply a chance to choose a new spell from the tower, given the spell module a mage could learn the spell in some time.

    However a spell slot costs 20 merit points, he heard that a True mage could earn that much in a year and a half doing regr missions.

    This was a very generous reward for apprentices like them. Not to mention the addition of a low-level enchanted rob.

    This was enough to tell them just how irregr it was to assign this mission to two apprentices. The rewards or enough for true mages to covet this mission.

    Senior Ron, "the crown Prince must travel in absolute secrecy, the fact that he left the capital must be kept under wraps at all costs. You will each take no more than two more apprentices. You will disguise yourselves as mercenaries going to the capital for work."

    After saying that senior Ron took out several badges, the sign on the badge was of a sword and a feather. He knew this mercenary band.

    It was famous in the Scattered kingdoms. They have made a name for themselves for a long time throughout the endless wars fought on thend of the old empire.

    It seems that this mercenarypany was actually rted to the Octarine tower.

    "The three of you will be the heads of this mission, if there is something that you can''t decide on, then vote on it. Keeping order and being flexible is extremely important in this mission. The countryside has be very chaotic during the war, and it is very likely that you will face some bandits and such."

    Esdras nodded in approval of the preparation of the tower. He was also able to read between the lines, and finally understand why this mission was given to apprentices.

    It was to keep it a secret, True mages were likely to draw attention and be loath to discuss themselves as lowly mercenaries. However, apprentices like them were still normal without that arrogance.

    Another possibility was that Meerh didn''t want to send any more True mages out here to escort the prince.

    "If you face any problem try to solve it has peacefully as possible. But if you can''t, then you must leave no witnesses. The identity of the prince must be kept a secret, I cannot stress how important that is. It is fine if you are dyed, the important thing is to make it to the capital safely."

    "Ron, you have already said too much. Don''t make these youngsters any more nervous than they already are." The crown prince finally joined them.

    He shook hands with them firmly andughed, " don''t be so stiff. We will be spending a lot of time together so it''s better if you guys just call me Donnis. It''s a little awkward to have to rely on people as young as my brothers and sisters..."

    The prince was unexpectedly, not stuck up, instead, he seemed really outgoing. He possessed a certain level of charisma. Esdras now understood that he was very different from thest time he talk to him. When he was drunk, he was like a different man.

    "Also, you must remember to dispense with the formalities throughout the trip. Don''t hesitate to treat me normally if any of you has any thoughts or ideas, you must be sure to inform me."

    "Leave it to us, your highness. We may be young, but we are still apprentices, and we just survive the battle. We will definitely scorch you safely to the capital." Esdras smiled measuredly.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    " I will be in your care. And you will be rewarded by the royal family as well as soon as I return to the capital. Reward from the tower is different from the reward from the king." The prince promised them.

    Esdras and Daylen were excited, gold was still an important currency that could be exchanged with mana stones.

    After all, mana stones were an exclusive currency to mages but mages still had to deal and live among regr folk.

    "Great, the supplies we have on hand are not much thanks to the attack of the despicable ck mages. So you will have to go into town yourselves to resupply. We prepared more than enough funds so don''t worry."

    ? Senior Ron dismissed everyone except Esdras, when they were alone he started asking.

    "I have heard that you advanced to level 4, but you haven''t learned any cantrips so tell me which element did you choose? I have some cantrips on me, you may be able to learn something on this trip."

    Esdras didn''t expect that he wouldn''t be questioned at all so he was slow to answer the question, "ah, I chose Fire and Earth."

    "Dual elements?" Ron looked surprised and then he was disappointed in the next, "you should have listened to people who know better, here take these. I hope you encounter some opportunityter."

    Senior Ron handed him four small stones that looked like mana stones slightly if not for their green jade color. These were the fabled Spell stones.

    Esdras also understood the disappointment in senior Ron, he thought that Esdras overestimated himself and his talent.

    Esdras left.

    Senior Ron who remained alone taped on the mage orb again to activate it. The sub-tower master''s projection, the orb never stopped working in the first ce, she was observing and listening secretly.

    "So, what do you think?" She asked Ron looking very amused.

    "I didn''t test him before so I can''t tell if he was simply hiding his progress or if he actually advanced in a month. But right now I can tell that he is indeed a level 4 apprentice. However he chose a stupid path.."

    "It doesn''t matter, make sure to act oblivious, we are not sure of anything this time but it doesn''t matter, if he has some sort of secret he will stand out again."

    "Yes, master."

 Chapter 80 Journey Begins

    Esdras talked with David and he jumped at the opportunity. Of course Esdras didn''t tell him they were escorting the crown prince.

    He did as Ron ordered and told him that they were transporting important items to the capital, which was not a lie technically.

    After all, the prince was taking an important royal relic to the capital.

    Interestingly enough they were not told anything else about the item, in normal circumstances, it would not have attracted their attention.

    But the fact that the higher ups seem to dismiss it, and emphasize it simultaneously give him the impression that it was just as important as the crown prince, or perhaps even more.

    In any case, having observed that watch, he decided to curb his curiosity. Too many questions could get on the nerves of the higher ups.

    Celine who is insistent oning out with him, no matter how he tried to dissuade her. They were going to move tomorrow night on the morning of the next day the others will go back to the tower.

    So Celine still had more than a day to rest, and she didn''t seem tired at all. Refusing her request was very difficult for him right now. Besides, it was true that he wanted to keep her by his side.

    In any case, both Celine and David, well qualified level 4 apprentices.

    Esdras had a hard time acting normally in front of Celine but he was going to get used to it. There was also another thing that bugged him about Celine.

    He remembered that she had a question mark in here stats, so he wanted to see what it was now. He was still unable to do it with his current [Third eye] but he didn''t mind raising it further.

    He did not want any surprisester on.

    However unexpectedly he saw the dreaded Error message.

    [Error, insufficient points.]

    Using one skill point wasn''t enough anymore? Damn it. He used two and finally it went through. He now had 5 skill points left.

    Everything was the same so he skipped most of the information to thest part of the character sheet.

    [Name: Celine]

    Rank: 1

    ss: Apprentice mage Lv.4

    .

    .

    .

    Trait:

    1) Shadow-touched

    2) Hand of the Queen

    The Pharaoh might have been right, Celine may have been touched by the shadow fey a long time ago. That was fine, no matter what they nned he was going to put an end to it.

    At night, Esdras reviewed the spell stones given to him by senior Ron. There were two Fire elemental cantrips and two earth elemental cantrips.

    The fire elemental cantrips were; re and me thrower. re creates  a burst of blinding light that could blind and stun opponents. me thrower was a continuous release of fire in a straight line.

    While Esdras could do something simr, he was purely relying on the three skills. This may look no different from regr spell at first nce but it was different.

    For one thing the mana consumption was reduced by at least half. And he assumed that using them wouldn''t take any time of preparation just a simple thought to trigger the spell.

    After he started meditating to learn the first cantrip he found himself looking at a 3-D spell module, there were a few flickering nodes of light that were connected together.

    This was not the entire spell there also in the instructions about the amount of money that should pass through each node. As well as the spiritual pressure of that should be applied when triggering the spell.

    Esdras got to work just like he engraved the elemental sigils, in his sea of consciousness he did the same to the spell module. After this spell module waspletely ready. It was absorbed by the fire elemental sigil.

    Now, if he wanted to cast that spell all he had to do is channel the mana through the nodes in the right order, and with the right amount of mana.

    all of this process from engraving the spell module to it, being absorbed sessfully by the sigil should take one or two weeks. But for him, it only took ten minutes.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The Earth elemental cantrips were, Stone fist and Pebble bullet. Naturally they followed the same process and he was pretty much done with learning the cantrips.

    Next, he started practicing.

    However during the training he became sure of several issues he noticed in the cantrips, the were inefficient.

    So, he started modifying the modules. The problems were too many, the mana consumption for an apprentice level spell should be even lower than this! And the power and effective range were all wrong too.

    Did they make a mistake? Why were the cantrips so backwards? Didn''t they update them? Shouldn''t the mages spend some time to at least fix these ring issues?

    Feeling frustrated he started his modifications. The stone fist now covered his entire arm with much thicker and harder stones, also he tightened some of the gaps that could be exploited by skilled knights.

    The other spells all saw simr levels of improvement. All with reduced mana cost. The regr apprentice should finally be able to actually use these cantrips inbat.

    Esdras didn''t like to leave living time-bombs on his person, and he had one in his sea of consciousness right now.

    But he already figured out a way to neutralize the threat, and even turn it into a great advantage. There was no denying that the Pharaoh had a great amount of knowledge and experience.

    Unfortunately, it was also extremely evil and even psychotic. Although he had calm down considerably since losing all of his power. But he did not seem particrly disheartened.

    If he could reach a certain understanding with him, then he could gain many things, especially if he agreed to teach him some of his otherworldly magic.

    ? As for the trust issues between them, he found a way to solve all of it in one fell swoop. The infernal contract. With this, as a guarantee, they could make the best of their rtionship.

    Obviously, there will be some things that he had to contribute in exchange for the knowledge and help that the pharaoh will provide. An easy guess would probably be to find him a buddy or something along those lines.

    But that was something that Esdras didn''t mind doing as long as he did not go overboard.

    The night passed and morning came bearing bad news.

    The orc army of Belkazak breeched the Crawling pass and is now advancing to the capital in full force leaving behind scattered forces in Menheir and Garnhelm.

    Esdras thought that the mission to escort the prince to the capital would now be in jeopardy, but contrary to his expectations, Senior Ron did not withdraw the mission.

    However, this did not make any sense. Esdras thought that the prints being recalled was a good sign for the war. Logically this meant that the king was certain of victory, and didn''t fear for his heir''s life anymore.

    But he wrong, the prince was summoned, even though things were getting worse. He could not help but feel that there was something wrong in the situation.

    He was missing a key piece of information that prevented him from seeing the full picture.

    In the past, this was something that didn''t concern him very much so he didn''t pay it so much attention, however, right now it was a different situation.

    Esdras was not going to use Divination for every little thing. Not only did it cost too much. There was also another aspect about it, which is unexpected oues. This trait must be used only in dire circumstances.

    Even the prince himself did not seem to understand what was going on exactly, but ten prince seemed to have grasped some thing that he did not.

    When night fell, se?¡Àor, Ron sent them off with two carriages. The prince also pick twopanions. One of them was Calvin his friend who seem to have gotten a terrible scar over his left eye.

    Honestly, Esdras had too much on his te and forgot to check up on him something that he felt slightly guilty for.

    Daylen brought two other apprentices with him, a boy called Rasta and a girl called Gwen. They were both level three apprentices.

    However, all of them were wearing the coats of the mercenarypany, Feathered sword.

    They traveled for two days and they work well out of the forest, this was the first ce that he so since transmigrating to this world.

    They brought as much supplies as they could from the only town in the area called Westen and thenpletely diverged out of the well trodden trails, and roads out into no man''snd.

    They wanted to buy much more, but because of the war no one had anything, if not for them, paying well above the market price, they would not have been able to get anything.

    The prince seemed especially concerned with the situation of the viges and citizens of the kingdom. This was at least a good indication of his character.

    Esdras what is optimistic, that the situation of the kingdom will improve after he became king. If not for anything else he at least had the ability to sympathize with themoners who are pretty much out of luck in the war.

    Where were not shortage of people who died of starvation in the vige.

    Five dayster, the peace and quiet of the journey was interrupted, rudely when they were ambushed by bandits.

 Chapter 81 Reconnaissance

    Esdras andpany encountered a terrible scene. Carriages flopped over and bodies everywhere, agonizing moaning and savage shouting made the ce look like a portrait from hell.

    The perpetrators were still here finishing theirst evil acts, surprisingly there were very few bandits. Several men and a few women were fighting against the bandits by hiding behind one of the fallen carriages.

    However, it was very clear they were just normal civilians. I did not even know how to handle a weapon. The biggest proof of that was the number of dead people around them.

    Even if it was an ambush with these numbers they could have dealt with the dozen bandits easily.

    "Attack!" The prince was angered by saying such acts in person, and who could me him? Anyone would have felt rage at seeing such acts.

    Calvin and the other knight joined the prince in their charge. Which made easy work of the bandits as the three of them were Vigor knights.

    Esdras and Daylen followed the prince to make sure he was protected at all times while the others stayed back. Esdras didn''t attack anyone he simply made sure that there were no traps or unexpected idents.

    Fortunately, there was no such thing until the dozen or so bandits were killed.

    "Look out!" Esdras suddenly sensed several peopleing from afar, "to the west!"

    A dozen arrows were shot and about to fall on them like raindrops. Esdras was about to burn them all in mid-flight but he sensed Daylen''s mana fluctuating so he stopped.

    An omnidirectional half-sphere of water covered all of them, it was continuously rippling despite being so thin. The arrows couldn''t prate it and slid down harmlessly.

    The bandits were stunned at this scene and went pale in fear. Not even in their wildest nightmares did they imagine themselves actually attacking a mage!

    Immediately they began to run away in panic but they were already toote. The rest of the apprentices had already blocked off their exit and massacred them all.

    Esdras shook his head and approached one of the middle-aged men hiding behind the carriage.

    " you cane out now we took care of them."

    "T-thank y-you m''lord¡­ I am very grateful but we d-don''t have much topensate you¡­"

    Stammered the man, still hiding behind the carriage. The rest of the survivors were looking at them with even more fear than they were looking at the bandits earlier.

    Most of them had never met a mage, all day and you were stories, and most of them were bad stories. Mortals who meet mages were often not heard of again.

    Some of the stories were wrong and made up. Some of them were true. And others were exaggerations of events that grew with rumors.

    Esdras''s smile faded and he stepped back, " just tell me where the closest vige is."

    They spent five days and nights on the road their supplies were almost finished. They were tired and exhausted the horses need to rest and so did they.

    Although the map we had was urate, it was not very detailed, and it became very hard to track their location after being stranded for several days.

    This was another reason they needed to get to the vige so that they can get back on track.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Esdras was about to lose his temper with this archaic technology, it was so far from how easy it was on earth. But what did he do?

    He had to learn how to use these maps, a skill he may need in the future.

    He thought that the prints would be much better, but he was just as lost as the rest of them were. After thinking about it, it made sense.

    He was the prince after all. When did he have the time to travel the wilderness? So how could he have a better understanding?

    The only two people who seemed to have at least some talent in navigation were Calvin and Daylen.

    Seeing that the situation allowed them to learn about a close by vige it was not so bad, but he still had to talk to the prince about his reckless charge.

    After all their mission was not to interfere in everything they saw on the journey but to escort him to the capital safely.

    Of course, I could also argue that if they let these bandits go now, they could be the next target, and then they would have to fight them anyway.

    Certainly, that was a possibility. And Esdras didn''t mind helping those people and getting rid of bad guys but what bothered him was how reckless it was. However, it dragged the rest of them into trouble too.

    The vige they rested that was called, Kitgen it was a very simple vige. It had less than 50 houses in total. And everyone knew each other and we''re somehow rted to one another.

    Unfortunately, we will not be able to get any supplies here. They did not even have a proper inn. They had to sleep in a barn that night.

    It did beat sleeping out in the wild in a tent, that''s for sure.

    The good news was, they were actually not that far from a town, just two days'' journey. Cilios was ruled by Baron Fornhart.

    Three dayster.

    Cilios was indeed in a better shape than small viges, it had some traffic somewhat. This meant that they could rest for a bit and then head back.

    In the night, Esdras changed into a ck cloak and pulled up the hood to cover his face as he jumped out the window.

    In a gloomy dark alley.

    "Sir!" "Sir, I came first" "my lord please hear me out first!"

    A few hoodlums, upon seeing Esdras''s ck cloak immediately came over to greet him and beg to speak first.

    "How is it? Has there been anything strange happing heretely? What about the war, tell me anything useful and you will get a reward as promised."

    When they arrived here yesterday he subdued these thugs and used them to gather information. They should know some things that strangers wouldn''t and the war''stest updates were also very important.

 Chapter 82 Confrontation

    "Sir, about the war, the orcs are still marching to the capital unopposed, there were even some people that began to surrender to the orcs and offered them supplies¡­"

    Esdras listened attentively, it was normal. From the perspective of most people, the orcs were now the winning side, and as such many would try to gain their favor.

    This will inevitably cause people to feel the helplessness about the situation and drive more people to extremism. Theft and murder were nowmon crimes.

    Esdras handed the thug a copper coin and looked at someone else.

    "There was a rumor that a witch was hung to death and came back to life as a horrid winged monster and killed many in the slums before flying off."

    Esdras handed him his coin. He didn''t care if it was just a rumor, he needed to have a clear understanding of the big picture. And a copper coin was nothing to him.

    Back in the inn, he took off his ck cloak and sat down to rest his mind. With theing apocalypse, he sometimes lost track of the present and thought more about the future.

    It couldn''t be helped, after all the first cataclysm will start in seven years, the invasion of the elves. The clearest events he saw were the ones of the next hundred years.

    The elves who were believed to be exterminated to thest elf were in fact alive and doing pretty well. Oh, they also had a burning hatred for all the other races.

    This revenge was thousands of years in the making. To the humans and other races, four thousand years was so long that it turned into a myth. But to the elves, it was only two or three generations ago.

    Esdras only saw some things briefly, he did not know the details at all. For example, he didn''t know where the elves were hiding right now. Or how the war will start.

    But, he was sure that there were some clues left behind. If he could get his hands on as much information about the age of Myth and the rise of the Immortal Emperor he might be able to find something.

    There were too many weaknesses in the current order of the world. The mages were fighting among themselves and squabbling over resources.

    After such a long time they grew fat and weak, too ustomed to peace and decadence. While the elves on the other hand have been nursing their hatred and preparing for war.

    It was going to be a catastrophe, especially in the beginning, when most people would not even believe that the elves have somehow survived.

    That was not going to be a regr war, the purpose behind it was not conquest or resources. It was aplete and utter extermination of the other side.

    When things have developed to this degree, no amount of diplomacy can solve it. There was no ce for flowery words and honey-coated gifts. It doesn''t matter who was wrong or right back then.

    And that was only the first cataclysm one that was going tost for a very long time. During the war, and even before it right now, many heroes and viins will rise and challenge themon sense of the world.

    *knock* *knock*

    Someone knocked on his door, it was strange for someone toe to him at this hour.

    "Come on in," Esdras said.

    Celine opened the door gingerly, but she was noting here at thiste hour for fun. He was able to do it that much from the look on her face.

    "What''s wrong? Is something bothering you? How do you feel?" Esdras asked gently.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Celine looked upset, " Yes, something is bothering me. It''s you."

    Esdras pointed at himself dumbly, "me? W-what did I do?" He was confused.

    "This." She frowned, "this is what bothers me. Why are you walking on eggshells around me? It was ever since that day. You''re treating me very annoyingly."

    Although Esdras told himself to act normally around her, actually doing that was very hard. He knew that the best thing to do was to act normal, but he wasn''t even sure how to do that.

    Seeing Esdras''s silence Celine got even more upset, "is¡­ something wrong with me? Tell me the truth."

    "Ah¡­"

    Esdras gritted his teeth, he didn''t know how things came to this. The truth was that his rtionship with Celine started physically, he was interested in her body at first nce.

    He was a bit of a scoundrel, after all. He didn''t regret that nor did he think he was wrong.

    It would be a lie to say that he had feelings for her back then, but as time went on he started to actually like her. At some point he started to really care about her and what she thought of him.

    That was why.

    That was why lies that came easily to him got stuck in his throat. He didn''t know what to do, he didn''t know how he started to think about her this way.

    It was because he wanted to respect her wishes on one hand and he didn''t want to alienate her on the other¡­.

    Esdras breathed exhaled and inhaled deeply.

    "Listen, Celine do you trust me?"

    "Of course." She said with a frown. As if saying, ''isn''t it obvious?''

    Esdrasughed despite himself, "good, then I will tell you what I can. But let me keep some things to myself and I will tell you when the timees, can you do that?"

    "¡­ I think, so. But you''d better tell me everythingter on. I don''t like to see you in such a dour mood all the time." Celine brushed her hair behind her ear.

    "All right, first of all, there''s something wrong with you right now but it won''t cause any problems, for now, you''re mostly fine. Only¡­ter on, you might get taken¡­ to a very faraway ce because you saved my life."

    Esdras made sure to summarize everything and speak his points as carefully as possible.

    "I see," Celine unexpectedly smiled, "so, I saved your life. It''s worth it then."

    There was something weird about her answer, "wait you knew about this?" He asked urgently.

    "No, not really. I just knew that I had to go very far away. My mother told me so."

 Chapter 83 Hot Night (R 18)

    "Your¡­ mother?" Esdras repeated, uprehending. How could her mother know something like that?

    Celine looked embarrassed, "there''s not much I can tell you, but when I was born I was not¡­ normal, my mother then begged one of the midwives for help, she was an old woman known to be wise. She took me away deep in the woods and when she came back I was normal and healthy."

    "But¡­?" There was always a but in these stories.

    "But¡­ she told my mother that what was given must be returned and one day I have to go away. I knew this would be my fate but I''m d I managed to save your life at least."

    Celine gave mncholic smile and stood up to leave, however Esdras grabbed her hand and pulled her down.

    "Fate? What kind of bullshit is that? Celine, I still haven''t dismissed you. What gave you the impression that you coulde and go arbitrarily?"

    "But¡­ I have no choice¡ª"

    "I don''t care, you''re still my maid and most importantly¡­ my woman. I don''t care about who wants to take you away, I won''t allow it to happen. If you go¡­ then I will drag you back no matter what."

    With tears at the corner of her eyes she trie sto look away, but he held her face in ce and stopped her.

    "Let me go¡­ I look ugly when I cry." Celine whined.

    "You do," Esdras snickered, "so, stop crying."

    He gently kissed her on the forehead and then on the lips, her body pressed under him excited him to no end.

    Her lips parted and his tongue invaded, intent on exploring every nook and cranny of her mouth. Their breaths mixed.

    Her hands moved and wrapped around the back of his neck as their kiss deepened. Their bodies growing heated by the minute.

    He lifted her up never stoping the kiss, and undressed her in quick practiced moves. His hands were nimble and Celine didn''t know when she lost her clothing.

    Being held up she felt a semi-erect organ pressing against her abdomen.

    "Ahaah!"

    She moaned when she felt him pinch her hard nipples mercilessly, the insistent teasing finally made her shiver and pull away to rest for a minute.

    But there was no rest for the wicked, Esdras didn''t rest he targeted her exposed neck kissing it from the back and tracing circles on her skin. He went downwards and sucked on a puffed out nipple eliciting more moans from Celine.

    The mole in between her boobs was so sexy it drove him mad with lust and his dick was now at full mast. His right hand sneaked behind and clutched her round ass cheeks in a death grip, then he spanked it a few times.

    "Aaaah!"

    Celine had her senses going haywire with a mixture of pain and pleasure. He couldn''t help it, that ass was too stic!

    More importantly his fingers crossed the valley of plenty and entered paradise. Just the tip at first and then the entire finger, her body started swaying back and forth.

    Esdras never stopped sucking and ying with those nipples.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Lay on your back, let me thank you for saving my life." Esdras said after they calmed down a little.

    "L-like this?" Celine asked cluelessly.

    "Yes, very good." Esdras then pried her thighs apart and kissed her very close to her pussy and along that thigh he moved closer to the pussy until he graced her garden.

    He licked her lips up and down savoring the delicious taste of her love juices entirely. And then his tongue entered her while his left hand pinched her clit.

    Then all of a sudden two of his fingers went in, curled up and then he pulled back quickly. That was when the fireworks went off.

    An explosion of an organism wrecked her body as she looked like a fish out of water and the bed shook with her. Esdras hurried to close her mouth shut, she was screaming and not moaning anymore.

    A few minutester she came back to the world of the living and looked at him as if she was looking at a god. Esdras enjoyed that feeling of veneration, any woman would fall in love after this move.

    *slurp*

    Celine was kneeling on the carpet while he was sitting of the edge of the bed. She traced his penis with her tongue and then took it in, fully and then pulled out and repeated her actions.

    Her gag-reflex was mostly gone after training for several times, she showed remarkable improvement every time. Seeing her hard at work Esdras nodded like a teacher to his student that finally appreciated higher education.

    Her mouth enveloped his dick in an intense suction force and her tongue doubled the pleasure, all this while she kept her eyes locked with his and suddenly it was too much.

    He shot ropes of cum into her mouth, thick and full of protein. Her hands started massaging his balls as they worked hard.

    When she was done she opened her mouth and showed him his seed, he gestured to her with a satisfied nod, in response she swallowed it down in a single gulp.

    "Get on all fours, we''re doing it from behind this time."

    Celine climbed up on the bed and Esdras gave her a pillow to put under her stomach, his dick was back in full force by this time so he plunged it in.

    Warm, soft and so damn tight, he couldn''t insert it all in one go as expected. He was already half way through so he just endured and then started pumping.

    He didn''t start slow, from the beginning he fucked her fast and relentlessly. Short and long thrusts alike, each time the swollen head of his dick mmed into her core.

    After a while he switched to a different angle andid on top of her while moving only his hips this time. His hand stretched over and started pinching her nipples.

    "Are you about to cum?" He asked.

    "I- I''ve been cumming for a while now!" She shouted back.

    "You should have told me!" Esdras quicken his pace and after a few more thrusts he pulled out, with a single hand he flipped her over on her back and plunged his cock in her mouth and fucked her skull for a while before cumming.

    Celine''s eyes rolled backwards and she had a stupid look on her face but her mouth just kept sucking.

 Chapter 84 Ambush (1)

    Esdras spent the night peacefully.

    Unfortunately, they weren''t able to depart the next day because the supplies they requested were dyed so they had to wait one more day.

    They had to get as many supplies as possible, the next decent town on the road was two weeks away. It was called Yellomane, and it was theirst stop before making a turn and directly going to the capital.

    It was fine since they weren''t on any deadline or anything of the sort, their only mission was the escort the prince safely not quickly.

    Oh, they also had to deliver the royal relic that the prince was in charge of.

    Speaking of the item, he didn''t know what it was yet. It was kept locked in a small unadorned chest. The prince didn''t bring it up either so they gradually forgot about it.

    After traveling out of Cilios for two days, Esdras decided it was time to ask the prince about it out of curiosity.

    "Donnis, can you tell me what''s so special about the item in the box?" Esdras decided that the straightforward approach worked best with the prince.

    "Oh, that?" The prince muttered, "it''s nothing, really. Just, you know, it''s a very traditional and historic item. It''s valuable because of how old it is, there''s nothing much to it."

    ? Esdras could tell it was bullshit but he decided to stop probing, after all, he did not want to antagonize the prince for no reason.

    "The situation is looking really bleak huh?" Esdras sighed out loud.

    "Well, it sure looks that way. But... remember sometimes things have to get worse before they get better." The Prince smiled, "do you know what the Immortal Emperor said when the elves retook Anthalwin? He said, ''the hour of our victory draws ever closer as inevitable as the rising sun, a great many will have to sacrifice everything if we are to cleanse thisnd of the filth of the elves.''"

    "Anthalwin? The city of Moonwillow, unfortunately in the end no one could have it. I am curious, do you think some elves survived?" Esdras asked.

    "Survived?" The prince looked stunned as if could not entertain such a possibility. "That is impossible. The Immortal Emperor went to extremes to eliminate every single one of them. There is evidence that he used some methods to discover those who had eleven blood and eliminated them ruthlessly. Even during his reign the efforts never stopped scouring every inch of the continent."

    The Immortal Emperor was an important figure in the history of Arandos, perhaps the most important of all.

    Four thousand five hundred years ago, in the age of Myth, the elves ruled the world and all other races were their ves.

    When the first humans were yet to paint a simple drawing on cave walls, the elves already had miraculous cities. They believed that all other creatures were animals, those who could walk on two legs were more useful than others.

    So, one day, a man among the ves rose in revolt. And soon it was an all-out rebellion. Some theorized that the Emperor had divine guidance.

    After sessfully freeing the world from the evil elves he was crowned Emperor unanimously by all the races. He waster called the Immortal Emperor because they believed he was immortal.

    He ruled for 1500 years but s, he disappeared. Or so, the records say. He just probably died much earlier than that after all, it was impossible to leave for that long for a human.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Even master mages could only live a little more than 300 years, that was the limit.

    Esdras knew for a fact that the elves will definitely show up in seven years, but he couldn''t exin how they survived either.

    If they just survived, then he could just chalk it up to them hiding really well all this time. But the problem was that they didn''t just survive, they even grew in number and prepared armies.

    The immortal emperor seems like an extremely ruthless ruler. He did not doubt that he was going to do anything to exterminate every single elf.

    He even killed those who had a drop of Elven blood, as insane as that was, this was a very good indicator that the elves must have done somethingpletely outside of hismon sense.

    After all, knowing that they had so much advancement in magic, science, and technology means that they must have one leg above the rest of the inhabitants of this world.

    Esdras was very interested in the elves, because of how powerful and advanced their magic was.

    Time gradually passed peacefully and they were finally about to arrive in Yellomane. There were some shortages here and there, but they were a very powerful group hunting some beasts was not so hard.

    While they did fight some monsters every now and then, they didn''t encounter any people again for these two weeks.

    After all, they were too far away from anything.

    However, that quiet and peace were about to be disturbed for good.

    They heard a terrible scream of pain and fear on the road, as they got closer to the source they heard a clearmotion of battle.

    Esdras motioned for them to stop and not show themselves, he was going to scout ahead to find out about the situation before they decide what to do.

    As he got closer over the hill, he heard shouts of rm and the sounds of battle. Arge tree has fallen to block a wagonden with goods.

    From the other side of the tree short, barbed arrowse whipping out over the foliage to embed in the wagon''s frame of the driver''s empty seat.

    The driver can be seen hiding underneath the wagon, while four guards with drawn des hide behind the fallen tree, arrows, wheezing over their heads.

    Esdras knew it wasn''t looking good, maybe it was best for them to wait it out? Or we could circle around this whole mess, but he had a feeling the crown prince wouldn''t like it.

    Hopefully, he could convince him otherwise. But if not, they might have to engage.

 Chapter 85 Ambush (2)

    Esdras got a good look at the assants, they were goblins. As far as he could see, there weren''t too many of them twenty at most.

    This was not a very fierce force, but he still wouldn''t choose to attack them blindly. From his recent experience, you learned to be cautious and careful.

    The others were waiting impatiently for him.

    "How is it?" The prince asked.

    "Nothing much just some goblins trading a carriage, a merchant most likely." Esdras shrugged.

    "We should help them." The prince replied while looking at the rest of the group almost everyone nodded along.

    Esdras was still apprehensive, but he was not a coward, being careful did not mean being indecisive. You had a reason to help these people since they could. And besides, they''re monsters.

    " good since we''re all in agreement, we will split into two teams, the first team will go help those people from the front and the second team will try to nk the goblins. Be careful, the goblins may not be powerful, but they were very crafty and cunning."

    The prints quickly divided them into two teams, Celine and David were tasked with protecting the carriages. Esdras, the prince, Daylen, and Calvin we''re going to attack from the front, the vigor knight, and two of Daylen''s friends will nk the goblins.

    It was a simple, but effective n.

    They immediately rushed into action, after all, it was not the time to decide on a detailed n. This situation required urgent aid.

    Esdras and the first team rushed in to help the guards first, as long as they distract the goblins the guards, could join them. And then they couldunch a collective assault on the goblins from both sides.

    The guards noticed them immediately, and their faces paled in fright at first. Probably they thought they were bandits or associated with the goblins somehow.

    But when they were shot with arrows, the guard''s expressions loosened.

    The guards were in a precocious situation but they are not injured very badly. They were still in fighting shape.

    Their arrival alone was enough to distract the goblins, and even give them pause for a second. After all, they probably did not expect backup.

    It was at this moment of the four guards jumped over the dead tree, "quickly we will rout them!" One of them yelled as the other three rushed into the woods that the goblins were using as cover.

    Esdras and the rest nodded to each other and attempted to follow the guards but he smelled something strange from the dead tree¡­ what was it?¡­ it wasmp oil!

    "Quickly jump over it!" Esdras yelled at the others, just as he warned them several ming arrows were shot from the woods at the dead tree. And it zed with fire almost immediately.

    The tree must have beenpletely soaked in oil.

    But the prince was a vigor knight, and Esdras was even stronger and faster so they both were able to jump over the tree before it was lit on fire.

    Daylen on the other handmanded the water element and conjured the cantrip [water ssh] which was able to reduce the intensity of the mes at a certain area on the tree, and he jumped over it safely.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    After they overcame that hurdle, they sprinted following the guards who are already chasing after the goblins.

    At this rate, they were going to easily surround them, and then dispose of them.

    However, Esdras couldn''t help but feel that there was something wrong. These goblins were so well prepared, if not for them, that ambush would have been perfect.

    But that was not all, it was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he missed something back there.

    Esdras forced himself to stop, his feet dug into the earth leaving behind a mark.

    "I will go back to check on something!"

    He yelled at the prince and Daylen but he doubted they heard him since they were running like there was no tomorrow.

    Esdras hurried back and discovered that the ce had be a mess, one of their horses was shot with a ming arrow which caused it to go mad.

    In that frenzy, the carriage flipped over, and Celine and David had to protect themselves by jumping away from the carriage. The carriage and two horses fell in a terrible ident and crashed into the wagon of the merchant.

    At some point, seven goblins appeared behind the crash sight and looted both the carriage and the wagon with practiced movements.

    Esdras was enraged at the ruse and hurried over, however, the goblins each grabbed something and ran away.

    His heart suddenly dropped, one of the goblins was holding the box containing the royal relic.

    Esdras used a wind st underneath him to boost his jump and crossed arge distance over the burning tree, but he couldn''t do it again or risk crashing into the trees and losing the goblins for good.

    He fired several [Stone bullets] at the goblins but they all missed the mark. Aiming while running so fast and on small moving targets was beyond his ability.

    The goblins were extremely fast and nimble, they moved in the woods so naturally that sometimes he would lose sight of them.

    Suddenly he felt a warning going off in his head, he slid down on his back and saw several arrows whizzing over his head.

    With an angry shout he conjured four wind des cutting off three trees at once and jumped over, he aimed with his hand in the air and fired a [stone bullet], it was about to miss but suddenly it bent in an unnatural way killing one of the goblins.

    This was thanks to wind maniption at thest second and it consumed a great amount of focus and mana.

    The other goblins jumped into boltholes in the ground and the tunnels copsed after they went in. This prevented him from pursuing them further.

    Esdras flipped over the dead goblin to reveal that he was carrying a bag of wheat.

    "Fuck."

 Chapter 86 Redpeal Goblin Tribe

    Esdras returned empty handed to the attack area and found Celine and David putting out the fire and helping out the wagon driver.

    His arm was broken and he had some minor burn marks, but he was otherwise fine.

    Esdras pondered on something and searched through the contents of the remaining merchandise of the wagon and realized a very striking fact.

    The goblins only targeted the most valuable things, like wheat and silk while abandoning cotton and fur. This could not be a coincidence.

    They already prepared an escape route and traps, one of which slowed him down. It was so methodical, so well nned.

    The first batch was distraction to allow the second group to loot the goods while those who could fight were busy chasing them.

    Goblins were cunning but they were not smart, that was a known fact. However, these goblins were clearly something else. That disy was not as simple as it looked.

    He expected that the chase of the prince wouldn''t bear any good results.

    As expected, when they returned the group came back battered and worn out, most of them were injured.

    "How did this happen?" Esdras asked.

    "I wanted to ask you the same thing," Daylen and Calvin were carrying the prince who had a bear trap on his left leg.

    The others had simr injuries.

    "The goblins you chased were bait and a second group immediately looted the wagon and¡­ our carriage¡­"

    Hearing his words the faces of the prince and Daylen turned extremely ugly, they were the only ones beside him who knew just how bad this was.

    "What did¡­ they take?" The prince asked, despite already knowing. He probably hopped that it didn''te to that, but life¡­ was like that sometimes, the more you didn''t want something to happen the more like it was to happen.

    "They took the box." Esdras sighed.

    "What?! How can you let them get away with it? You were right here." The prince exploded in anger.

    "I tried, they were already running away by the time I made it back and they had traps and potholes to escape. Now, if someone else had been here with me the situation might have been different."

    Esdras kept his words polite but he was essentially telling the prince that it wasn''t his fault and also reminding him that he fell for the bait while Esdras didn''t.

    "That is true¡­ we''ll, it''s bad luck. We can''t me each other for this, instead we should focus on retrieving it." Daylen pointed out the crux of the matter.

    "That''s true," the prince looked down and then he looked like he regained hisposure, "I apologize for that just now, it''s my fault. But we don''t have to rush, the box is not something that can be opened easily."

    "Because it''s locked? What if they break it with brut force?" Esdras asked.

    "It''s not impossible but, I would say it''s not an easy thing to do. Even a monster would find it unbreakable. I would imagine that only a Great mage that put his mind to it for a few days could break it." The prince seem very confident of his words.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    So, the box was more than it let on, the item inside must be very valuable for it to be taken care of so much. But.. even with that assurance Esdras was still not certain.

    These goblins were too weird.

    "Even so, we must hurry, the goblins could lose it or something. We must move quickly."

    Since their direction was clear they immediately questioned the four guards.

    Turns out, these goblins were known as the Redpeal tribe and they troubled the travelers in these parts for some time now.

    But since a year ago, something changed and their tactics and methods changed, they became notoriously difficult to stop. So, the merchants resorted to hiring mercenaries.

    They chose the Tigerw band and although the situation improved a fair bit, they still had a hard time dealing with the goblins.

    Worse still, what they saw was only a small and weak bunch, the leadership in the Redpleal tribe consisted of over a dozen Hobgoblins. The real leader was unknown.

    They didn''t know much more than this but the guards invited them to Yellomane where they had more information and perhaps they could find out some clues as to where their hideout is.

    More than a dozen Hobgoblins? That was unbelievable, that was a rare breed among the goblins, even in that forest Esdras only saw three.

    Moreover this meant that their numbers could be as high as three hundred.

    Esdras settled the injured in the inn and then he and Daylen met with the mayor and a tall man called Dash, he was the leader of the Tigerw mercenaries.

    The mayor had a humble smile while Dash revealed a contemptuous frown.

    "Mercenaries from afar, I afraid that you happened on an ugly first impression of our town." The mayor shook their hands andmented.

    "But, believe me, things weren''t like this before the war. It''s like that was the start of the whole world going crazy."

    ''Well, that might not be wrong¡­'' Esdras thought that this man might be onto something.

    "We have it under control Mr mayor, it was unfortunate that you encountered something so tragic but fortunately there were no casualties."

    Dash added with a tone clearly telling them to leve town and be on their way already. Of course Esdras would also like to do just that but they must retrieve the box containing the royal relic at any cost.

    "We will be on our way soon I assure you, but the goblins stole an important item from us and we must have it back. I hope you will cooperate, we want information."

    Daylen interjected, he too was able to read between the lines.

    "Their hideout, having worked here for so long you must have figured out that much at least right?" Esdras rolled his eyes.

    "If we knew that much we would have already taken care of the goblins long ago. All I can tell you about is a recent ambush, check it out, you might find some clues."

 Chapter 87 Investigation

    Esdras and Daylen didn''t gain much from Dash and the mayor. All they did was tell them to check the recent ambush to find any clues.

    This was not the kind of help they expected, it was too little.

    Esdras didn''t want to just follow their lead, instead, he decided to ask the rest of the townspeople and see what they had to say.

    After all, this was a well-known problem that gued the town for over a year. Even thesemoners might have some information.

    As for convincing them? A few coppers were more than enough to motivate them.

    Indeed after an afternoon of investigation, he was able to gather more details about the goblins, the state of the town, and the recent surge of goblin activity.

    The Redpeal goblins have conductedplex ambushes againstrge shipments of equipment, textile, and coin.

    Moreover, the goblins seemed to always know which trade wagon contained the best goods.

    Another unusual fact was that the goblins weren''t interested in bloodshed or women. They only cared about coins and goods. This contrasted with their savage nature.

    It was because of this reason that Baron Fornhart refused to send an armed squad to deal with the goblins. Despite the mayor''s repeated requests, the baron couldn''t justify sending armed men over theft.

    Usually, there were almost no casualties in their ambushes. This was also true, Esdras experienced it firsthand.

    He also learned something about the elusive goblin leader, turns out he wasn''t so ''unknown'' as the mayor and Dash imed.

    The leader was apparently a red goblin called Redthorn, although he didn''t show himself in the past few months, people still remembered him.

    He was a goblin that could talk in themon tongue and often madepelling arguments for merchants and wagon drivers to stand down rather than fight.

    There was one more person that he found out about, it was a scout and tracker hired by the Tigerw mercenaries to seek the goblin''sir.

    But the people mostly hadints about him, he spends most of his time around the vige and hasn''t found much of anything.

    At nightfall Esdras and Daylen met with him in the inn. He was a handsome man with a rxed posture and an easygoing atmosphere, he had a book of some kind in hand.

    Esdras and Daylen sat down at the same table, "a beer for the gentleman!" He yelled at the bartender.

    "Name''s Ilundar, I don''t think I''ve seen you guys around this humble vige, how can I pay you back for the beer?"

    Ilundar definitely knew who they were and why they were here but he was just ying this game for some reason.

    "We heard you are a scout, you must have gathered some clues about where the goblins''ir is. We want you to tell us what you know and this silver is yours."

    Esdras didn''t want to beat around the bush and directly stated his business. At the same time, he used his [Third eye] on him out of caution.

    [Name: Ilundar Sunspear]

    Rank: 2

    ss: Ranger lv.4<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Physique: 7

    Agility: 11 (+2)

    Intelligence: 4

    Spirituality: 6

    Mana: 4

    True shot Lv. 5, scattershot Lv.6, identify terrain Lv.4, beast control Lv.4, ...

    Esdras controlled his expression and suppressed his instincts to widen the distance between them. This man was at the peak of rank 2 and he was a Ranger a rare ss in this world.

    In fact, he was the first person he saw who had a different ss apart from vigor knights, mages, and warlocks. Even the mages didn''t know about this ss, at least as far as he knew.

    Oh, yeah, the orc warrior didn''t count as a person. At the very least it was not public knowledge that these sses existed, not to mention a way to get them.

    Why did this man not get rid of the goblins yet? Esdras did not doubt that it could be done if he really wanted to. Something was very fishy in this town.

    "Ah, yes, I do have some information, generous strangers. But keep in mind this is not a definitive answer, I think the bog outside of town might be the ce. Although I also heard of a troll upying the ce as well so take it with a grain of salt."

    "A troll?" Daylen eximed.

    Esdras couldn''t me him. A troll was a troublesome monster that was not only strong and quick but also had great vitality and regeneration powers.

    Only when three or more True mages was it possible to take it down safely.

    Of course, there were exceptions, for example with the help of a powerful magic item or if a True mage at the peak personally faced it.

    It was a particrly hated monster because it upied terrible terrain for mages, either narrow ces where mages had a hard time keeping a safe distance or hard-to-tread areas.

    For the physically weak mages that were a great disadvantage that cost many a mage their lives.

    ''And you''re telling me we have to fight this monster? No, how could the troll allow the goblins to make their nests in its territory? I have to see it to believe it.''

    Since they got their clue Esdras gave the Ilundar his silver coin and departed with Daylen. Tomorrow they will see about this bog out of town.

    Before he slept Esdras meditated even though this process was much slower and harder than using EXP he got some results so no matter how insignificant he still maintained his diligence.

    The next day after breakfast, the group going to explore the troll''s bog consisting of Esdras, David, Celine, and Calvin moved out. Daylen had to stay behind to protect the rest because all of them were injured and in no shape to fight.

    The prince was especially in a bad condition, what with his leg and all.

    Coincidentally the troll''s bog was also the site of thest ambush that the mayor and Dash wanted them to investigate.

 Chapter 88 The Troll Of The Bog

    Esdras and the group hired a local man to take them to the bog so as not to waste time. But since they were already there they also checked out the recent ambush site.

    This was the power of money, with just the right amount many things could be easier.

    An overturned cart riddled with small, splintered arrows lies near two fallen trees that block the dirt road. Axes, swords, and more arrows are scattered nearby.

    The road is torn up by horse hooves and wagon tracks that appear to turn off abruptly and lead off into the forest.

    This is the site of the most recent ambush conducted by the Redpeal goblins. Though all signs point to a fierce battle, there are no traces of blood in the area and no bodies.

    The tracks show that another wagon came this way, in addition to the one that now lies on its side. Thatrger wagon was driven off into the nearby swamp, on a route leading into the bog. There is nothing of value left in the wreckage.

    Plumes of gas smelling of sulfur bubble up from this dank bog. The ruins of arge wagon lie half submerged in a long patch of what would otherwise appear to be solid ground.

    "This is it, sir. But be careful, the bog is full of Boot-stealing bog holes, the tall grass you see is actually growing in deep mud."

    The guide warned to which Esdras thoughtfully nodded, "you''ve done a good job, here this is for your troubles." He tossed five copper coins and the guide left smiling.

    "How do we deal with the mud?" David picked a stick and threw it in, soon it sunk down into the mud.

    "Hmm, Celine you control as much of the water as you can and moved it to the edges of the bog. While David will bring up the mud higher and I will harden it with fire magic."

    "Nice, let''s do it." David was excited to put his magic to use after so many days of not getting the chance to exercise.

    Esdras initially wanted to use fire right away but it wouldn''t work with the mud being so wet.

    Celine stepped forward and pointed her hands at the bog, her mana fluctuated and the water in the mud was extracted and pushed away.

    David was about to do his thing when suddenly the water extracted increased in volume and turned into two waves. With a shout, the waves wereunched out of the bog and into the forest around them.

    Esdras and David were surprised, the bog was nowpletely empty of water. That kind of water maniption was too great, it was of a simr level to his own control.

    "Hey! What should I do now? You mare my contribution useless." Davidined, "how did you do that anyway? You didn''t have to push yourself."

    "I didn''t¡­ it felt easy to me." Celine herself seemed surprised at her own disy, she looked at her hand in wonder.

    Esdras frowned, "anyway let us check on the cart quickly." This was not the time.

    The ruined wagon has been well picked over. In the mud around the wagon, they found signs of where small rafts were used to ferry goods from the wagon to the nearby shore.

    Although the trail had mostly disappeared they might be able to trace it if they were lucky.

    ''At least we didn''t encounter a troll so far.''

    Suddenly they heard a loud roaring and rattlinging their way. A foul stench lingers in the air and the roaring got louder and angrier.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Oh, finally! I will test my spear against a troll! Bring it on!" Calvin was the most excited of them and he seemed happy at this development.

    Esdras had an ashen face, ''I jinxed it! Goddamn!''

    It arrived, covered in a coat of rattling bones and wearing the skull of a bull with horns on its head. Red angry eyes red at them with madness and an obvious bloodlust.

    But honestly if one ignored all that, overall it was not intimidating at all. Esdras who had experienced powerful beings didn''t feel that kind of thing from this monster.

    Anyway, wasn''t a troll supposed to be over five meters tall? This one was not even three meters tall. Could it be a young troll?

    [Name: Wuax]

    Rank: 1

    Race: bugbear

    ss: ¡ª¡ª

    "What the hell?" Esdras blinked repeatedly to make sure he wasn''t seeing things.

    "Come on, start with your strongest spells! I will hold it down!" Calvin roared as he was about to charge.

    "Wait stop don''t start with your strongest spells!" Esdras quickly held Calvin back, "it''s not a troll, just subdue it, and make sure not to kill it."

    "It''s not?" Calvin asked dumbfounded.

    "Just attack it and see for yourself." Esdras held his chin and frowned.

    Calvin hesitated but still rushed in, David followed closely behind just to be on the safe side and Celine trusted himpletely so she didn''t do anything.

    After a single exchange of attacks, the ''troll'' tried to run away. David used an earth spike to trip him over and the troll was captured.

    "Let go! Please let Wuax go, I not harm humans anymore."

    Esdras removed the ridiculous bones on the monster to reveal the hairy appearance of a bugbear. A very big bugbear but certainly no troll.

    "Tell me why a bugbear is pretending to be a troll. Who put you up to this?" Esdras asked.

    "It''s not my doing, Redthorn pays me to scare anyone whoes around the bog. The cunning goblin made me do it. I good, not bad."

    As expected, it was that goblin again. It was too smart for a goblin. Esdras couldn''t help but think of the Convergence.

    This event will lead to many changes in this world and the rise and fall of numerous heroes and viins. This is only the beginning, when things start for real this world experience the first catastrophe.

 Chapter 89 Planning And Spying

    The Convergence wasing. The symptoms have already started showing themselves.

    He needed to be ready.

    "Alright, alright, we won''t hurt you, if you tell us where Redthorn is hiding at. If you even think about lying¡­"

    Esdras produced mes in his hand and moved it close to the bugbear''s face, it could feel the burn of the mes, it was just a hair''s breadth away from burning his face.

    "The Greendepth caverns! I-I swear that''s all I know! It''s further into the forest by the jagged trees."

    Esdras nodded, he was able to get what he wanted nicely.

    "But¡ª"

    "Hn? But what? Are you hiding something from us? Speak up!" David kicked it in the gut.

    "No, no, but, I only went there months ago, recently it''s been quiet. I can''t go there, my payment gets delivered by the goblins to me."

    Unfortunately, it would seem that there were still some things left out. But even then if the goblins are not there they still got their hands on the next clue.

    Hmm, there was something else he wanted to ask, "wait, one more thing. Did Redthorn tell you to not attack the Tigerw guards?"

    "Eh?"

    "What?"

    Everyone around was stunned by his question, but Esdras naturally started to suspect something was not right here.

    "T-the guards? No, he didn''t say anything. I just spread the rumor that I am a troll and scare anyoneing close to the bog. But, the guards always run away first and don''t fight with me at all."

    That was enough to make Esdras certain of his guess, the Tigerw mercenaries were colluding with the Redpeal goblin tribe!

    He wasn''t sure about the details like whether it was an actual agreement or a tactic understanding but he knew for a fact the two sides were acting in tandem with one another.

    "Okay, you can go, after you give us half of your loot." Esdras told the ''troll''.

    The bugbear felt like crying but being the coward that he is, he felt relieved that he could at least keep the other half.

    From now on he was going to get out of here and never show his face around these parts.

    Turns out the loot was not bad at all, there was some silver and even two opals. Esdras took half fairly. But before leaving he still had one more order for the ''troll''.

    "Actually why do monsters care about coins and precious stones?" David asked a very vital question.

    "That''s true, monsters don''t buy and sell things why do most of them hoard gold?" Celine asked the ''troll''.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "It means you are strong! The shinier stuff you have the stronger you are!" The ''troll'' answered honestly.

    Esdras was speechless at this exchange.

    "Oh, and before I forget you''re not allowed to leave yet, if you left they would notice that something was wrong. If the goblins ask about what happened, tell them you scared us off as usual."

    "¡­ I got it."

    Esdras knew that for a very intelligent goblin he might have already started gathering information on them, so his trusted aid could cover for them or at least spread confusion.

    Back in Yellmane.

    Esdras and the team returned to the inn and shared their findings over lunch. This was the end of their exploits today, going to the Greendepth caverns had to wait.

    The prince did not seem to be doing very well, he was very irritated but he did a good job of controlling his anger. He said something that stuck out to Esdras.

    "We are the dragon kings, and yet that¡­ relic was stolen by goblins. A shame that can''t be washed in generations. Worse still, that item can''t be lost, it must be returned, do so and the entire nation will be in your debt. Retrieve it at any cost!"

    Esdras already knew that it was a very special item but he didn''t expect the prince to say such a thing. It must be some kind of national treasure.

    Anyway, he was nning to get it back, his mission included that relic. Not to mention a royal connection with Elbrim, a kingdom rted to a Master mage was priceless. This mission could turn out to be of great benefit to him.

    After lunch Esdras told the team to spread around town and if anyone asked they should retell the same story he gave to the ''troll''. Plus they had to keep in mind those who asked.

    Esdras himself had a different task, a much more dangerous one at that. Ilundar Sunspear was known to loiter around aimlessly and was known to hand around the abandoned mill just out of town.

    That was where Esdras stuck one of his Spy eyes and left, making sure that he was not followed. This was where he felt Ilundar was most likely to reveal something.

    With all his friends out there they created the perfect cover for him to go in and out unnoticed. This was not overdoing it, he had long since noticed the Tigerw gang spaying on them and following their every move in town.

    He didn''t do anything and pretended not to notice because it was not the right time to act.

    He already check all of them, they were all trash normal people, the only one worth something was the captain, Dash. But he was just a vigor knight.

    The only one who made him wary in this vige was Ilundar, peak rank 2 Ranger.

    He was the biggest problem, he had to be involved in all of this somehow, and he needed to find out everything about him.

    There was no way Ilundar couldn''t find the goblins'' hideout in such a long time.

    When he found out about the troll Esdras thought that it must be the reason Ilundar didn''t make a move but the troll turned out to be fake. Ilundar must have known this.

    Esdras couldn''t believe that he was in the dark about it. He was a scout after all. So, the only logical conclusion was that he was the goblin Redthorn!

 Chapter 90 Change Of Plans

    Or not, that wouldn''t make any sense. He was human.

    Redthorn was seen by some people and he was definitely a red goblin, not a human.

    But he was involved in one way or another. And he had to find out where he stood in all this.

    ? Actually, regardless of that, he was only confident in himself, after spying on Ilundar no matter what he found out, and before confronting Redthorn he was going to advance and be a True mage.

    Esdras waited and waited but he wasn''t having a good time, although the mana required to use the Spy eyes was not much, it increased with the distance between him and the eye.

    And after a few hours, he was drained of focus and mana with nothing to show for it. But he had to endure, he didn''t know when Ilundar was going to show up or if he will as a matter of fact.

    He took out two potions, one was a mana potion and the other was a stamina potion.

    The night fell, and that was when Ilundar showed up in the abandoned mill. His demeanor was as rxed as ever, whistling all the way.

    He didn''t even look around before he took out a small bell from his belt, he rang the bell three times.

    After a minute or so a figure d in a thick dark cloak showed up as if in response to the bell.

    The figure entered the abandoned mill and removed the hood to reveal the dark green skin of a goblin, but this one wasn''t just any goblin, it was a hobgoblin, and a female one at that, she had her hair braided and hung back.

    After taking her hood off she bowed respectfully to Ilundar, "I am sorry for having to trouble you about this matter, the neers seem intent on seeking us out."

    "No matter, no matter, Wiggletoes you seem annoyed tonight." Ilundar casually waved, "it''s quite alright, they are very attached to the items you stole from them, I am curious now."

    "I am annoyed at Redthorn because of that item, I told him we should just return it. The humans this time smell of trouble to me. We don''t even know what kind of item it is, we can''t open the box."

    Ilundarughed, "I guess a few of Redthorn''s ws are his stubbornness and excessive curiosity. Now, that something interesting fell into his hand he probably wouldn''t let it go until he figured it out."

    So, Ilundar was Redthorn''s ally? He did not seem to be an underling, more like a partner acting as his eyes and ears in Yellomane.

    At least this didn''t seem as bad as the worst-case scenario. Esdras imagined what kind of being could make a peak rank 2 his subordinate... qt that point they would have to abandon the relic and report to the sub-tower master.

    "Oh, these neers are indeed a bit more troublesome than usual. But they have no True mages among them." Ilundar said. "Still, I suggest you deal with them swiftly and thene with me. The Octarine tower will look into this afterward."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "I will do as Redthornmands." Wiggletoes frowned and looked upset.

    "Fine, have it your way." Ilundar didn''t press the matter further he warned, "I will not interfere beyond giving you information, as I have done so far. If things go south Redthorn can always change his mind."

    Hmm, it seems that something more was going on behind the scenes. Although he said that he wouldn''t interfere, there was no telling what he might actually do when the timees.

    "They went to the bog today and uncovered your little ruse, that coward told them about Greendepth caverns. They will likely make a move tomorrow morning, if you y your cards right you could be rid of them swiftly."

    Esdras frowned, this bastard must''ve followed them and monitored them, and they didn''t know a thing. Even Esdras with his enhanced senses couldn''t tell.

    There goes his n. It was both, chilling and awe-inspiring. That was the power of stealth.

    "Hehe, we didn''t have much hope for that loser anyway, it''s why Redthorn had changed our hideout to the ants'' nest without telling it, giving it the impression that we were still in Greendepth caverns. No need to worry the ce is a death trap, as long as those foolish humans take a step there I will make sure they disappear for good."

    Esdras didn''t need her to spell it out so clearly but he was still grateful for the information. These hobgoblins weren''t as smart as they thought they were.

    "Great, let''s call it a night, I wouldn''t want to draw too much attention."

    Ilundar grabbed a coin pouch and started walking out, but then he stopped, turned his head around, and looked back at Wiggletoes, "one more thing, there was one among them at seemed a little dangerous. So don''t ck off. I have done my part."

    He walked out after giving that warning, and Wiggletoes put her hood back on and left under the cover of the darkness.

    It was normal that people wouldn''t notice after all in this world nighttime was very dark, very different from earth. And people in this age did not like to move about at night, especially in such far away towns like this one.

    Esdras snorted coldly and close the vision, so what if they figured out their little trick? That information has now be a disadvantage to them and an advantage to Esdras.

    The fact that they thought they were going to the Greendepth caverns means that they will split up their forces, which was naturally good for them.

    Another thing they did not expect, something that even Ilundar wouldn''t imagine, was that there will be a True mage among them tomorrow.

    With a smirk, Esdras made his own exit in the darkness of the night. He needed to find a secluded ce to make his breakthrough.

 Chapter 91 Celine Breaksthrough

    Esdras and Celine sneaked out of town in the cover of the darkness and arrived at a secluded hill, hidden by thick trees and overgrown bushes.

    Celine didn''t know why they wereing here. Esdras told her it was important and so she followed.

    Esdras used a small me floating above his head to illuminate the way, it was an imitation of the spell [spark].

    "What are we here for? It''s too gloomy and cold," Celine looked around and rubbed her shoulders.

    "Well, this is why I brought nkets," Esdras chuckled and opened his storage ring to take several nkets. He startedying some of them on the cold ground so they could be at easy when he heard Celine audibly gasping.

    Eh?

    "H-how did you do that? Taking it out of nowhere?" Celine pointed with her mouth in the shape of an O.

    Oh, he didn''t tell her about this before did he?

    "It''s one of the magic items I got from a dungeon, I will tell you all about itter." Esdras had no time exin now but he did tell her about the basic summery.

    "Oh, like the amulet you gave me?" Celine looked at her chest, she was gesturing to her amulet.

    "Yes, now sit and rx." Esdras pointed on the nkets.

    "Okay."

    "Alright, now then, we came here to advance to the True mage realm. You will go first." Esdras casually said.

    "M-me, what?¡­ Esdras you know that it isn''t easy to breakthrough, it''s even harder for us with dual elements. We need to get back to the tower to get mana stones. Actually miss Lydia gave me five mana stones for when that timees, you can have some of them."

    Esdras thought about it, and it made perfect sense. Those who deal with the more elements need more money to transform not one but two elemental sigils.

    That was twice the amount of mana needed technically, but that was not actually true, the amount of mana was more than double.

    After all filling up the sigils was not enough it needs to cause a transformation.

    "Oh? It''s mana stones we need? Cool, here," Esdras directly, took out ten mana stones and gave them to her on on the spot.

    Celine had a dumb look on her face, and then it changed to her normal expression. Seeing her like that he feels like she wasn''t going to show him anymore funny expressions of shock.

    This disappointed him a little.

    Celine was already on the verge of a breakthrough for sometime now the only thing stopping her was theck of mana stones and since that problem was already solved it was now time to just do it.

    Esdras ced the mana stones around her in a circle, and she took a moment to clear her thoughts and enter meditation.

    Are after a few moments, the stones started to glow responding to her meditation, and great amounts of energy started flowing from the stones to her.

    Esdras was using two of the Spy eyes to keep a careful watch over the surroundings. After all he knew his normal senses won''t work against someone like Ilundar.

    Suddenly there was a slight reverberationing from Celine''s direction, she was sweating and then started levitating.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Was this supposed to happen?

    The energy converged and exploded slightly, Celine went back down into the lotus position and mana sprang forth from within her like a tidal wave.

    Several minutester the light dimmed and she opened her eyes which dispelled the energy and Esdras''s eyes widened.

    He did hear that one could be better looking after advancing, the further one went on the path of magic more their bodies will be perfect.

    Of course what most people really cared about. Was the increase lifespan at the Great mage level and beyond.

    But of course, who wouldn''t want to look better? That was still one of the attractions of mages.

    Celine was already a great beauty in his opinion, but now she looked even better, her face and her skin, her bodies proportions, and figure even improved.

    When she stood up, he realized that she became taller as well.

    "I did it, Esdras!" She cheered. I want to him for a hug.

    Esdras opened his hands wide, and hugged her, smiling from ear to ear. He was really happy for her.

    " amazing, well done." Esdras praised wholeheartedly. This is when an idea came to him, what if she became stronger than the queen of dusk before he was takenpletely?

    Would the queen still be able to hold onto her true soul fragment? It was worth a try at least.

    "How do I look?" Celine suddenly struck a pose with her hand on her hips and her body arching to the back slightly.

    However, Esdras had a mischievous look shing in his eyes, " what do you mean? How do you look? You look the same as usual."

    "What?" Celine asked in shock. And started touching her face and body worriedly. "D-do I really look at the same? What I heard¡ª"

    "Okay now, you can''t believe everything you hear." Esdras clicked his tongue. But his lips curled up which gave him way.

    "Y-you! That was a mean prank." Celine protested while frowning. "I won''t do it tonight!" She dered looking upset.

    Esdras knew he fucked up, he hurriedly wrapped his hands around her and smiled, "I didn''t mean that, I was just shocked silly by your beauty."

    "That won''t work on me!" Celine looked away.

    Esdras pulled her face back, e on, I was smitten, you know that. I actually wanted to take you right now, right here but held back."

    "Really?" Celine finally looked at him seeming ttered.

    "Of course, here let me apologize to you," saying this he leaned in and Celine cutely closed her eyes, their lips met.

    The kiss was pure at first but it soon turned naughty, with tongues intwined and saliva exchanged.

    Esdras pulled away and said, "let me apologize to you some moreter okay? Now, it''s my turn."

 Chapter 92 True Mage

    Esdras took out ten more mana stones and four mana stones that remained unused by Celine.

    Esdras sat down and summoned the system, to take a look at his current stats.

    Name: Esdras Varthos

    Race: Human (world wyrm)

    Title: Pioneer

    Rank: 2

    sses: 1) Apprentice mage Lv.4 (0/1010 EXP)

    2) Vigor core Lv.1 (0/720 EXP)

    Physique: 5

    Agility: 4

    Intelligence: 4

    Spirituality: 5

    Mana: 4

    Vigor: 6

    Origin points: 14

    EXP: 1055

    Mystical talent: 3 (0/8 OP)

    Martial talent: 1 (0/2 OP)

    Stat points: 10

    Skill point: 5

    Skills:

    A) passive skills:

    1) Vitality Lv.3

    2) Veteran''s hunch Lv.2

    3) Third eye Lv.3

    B) Active skills:

    1) Prating Vigor Lv.2 (0/120 EXP)

    2) Control Lv.3 (0/520 EXP)

    3) Maniption Lv.3 (0/520 EXP)

    4) Manifestation Lv.3 (0/520 EXP)

    C) Spells:

    1) re Lv.2 (0/ 15 EXP)

    2) me thrower Lv.2 (0/ 15 EXP)

    3) Stone fist Lv.2 (0/ 15 EXP)

    4) Pebble bullet Lv.2 (0/ 15 EXP)<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    This was his current level, he spells each advanced by one level because he kept practicing for thest two weeks. He could not. We''ll do some pretty useful things with this spells.

    He should thank senior Ron sometime.

    He had enough EXP to level up so he entered meditation, and with a single thought he began the process by consuming the EXP for the level up.

    Certainly a torrent of magical power cord through his body and mind at once. Instantly the mana from the mana stones was absorbed, as well as the mana from the atmosphere.

    Within his mind, he could see the four sigils absorbing that mana without him, having to consciously guide it.

    Having seen the process just a moment ago he did not panic and said he was in a rxed state.

    After 15 minutes all four sigils were full and brimming, he thought that it was about time for the transformation to start but unexpectedly the consumption was still going.

    Esdras started sweating, his sigils were expanding unnaturally, however, the process has already started, and he could not stop or risk his life and waste all that EXP.

    Esdras what is drawn by the symbol of the neswalkers as it started to reverberate and his sea of consciousness started to swirl even faster than before.

    Suddenly he noticed something unexpected the 14 mana stones what depleted and he couldn''t take out more, even though it was usually a simple process, but right now if he even lost focus for a moment, he did not know what would happen.

    Nheless, he still had a solution, with a thought he some of the system, and consumed stat points to read his mana.

    However, after raising it to level five, he was surprised that raising to level six required 2 stats points, he didn''t hesitate, and raised it once again. He paid a total of 5 points raised to level seven before refilled that it was sufficient.

    As if stimted by this, the fluctuations grow even more and more.

    Celine who was protecting Esdras was witnessing a shocking scene, the mana in the atmosphere condensed so much, and was visible to the naked eye above Esdras''s head.

    It formed a vortex of blue incandescent light that went straight into his head.

    Within Esdras the elemental sigils finally couldn''t withstand the pressure and exploded, only to be reformed instantly this time with aplete crystalline structure. Each one was glowing and beating rhythmically like a heart.

    Esdras felt his body and muscles contorting slightly I need lost consciousness for a brief moment when he opened his eyes, the process was over.

    Esdras stood and stretched his body, he seem to have grown taller. He couldn''t exactly how he look like he was sure he came even better looking.

    From the way, Celine was looking at him he looks must have improved significantly.

    He could feel that there is something different about the way he looked at the world, it was a hundred times clearer than he was able to feel the four elements slightly existing around him, inside of him, this was nature itself.

    Esdras told Celine about what he found out by spying on Ilundar and about his n for tomorrow. Obviously, she was the only one who would tell the true story to.

    As for the others, he already prepare an exnation for the change of ns.

    How are because both of them broke through I need it to stabilize themselves there was not going to be any hot action tonight.

    The next day, Esdras went out on his own before everyone else woke up and came back looking slightly disheveled.

    "What happened? Did someone attack you? What were you doing on your own so early in the morning?" The Prince was very concerned.

    "It''s fine, I found out something very important that we change our ns today. You guys just have to trust me." Esdras looked very serious.

    "W... what happened to you you look different, did you do something with your hair?" Calvin asked curiously and he could see that you the others were also curious.

    "This is because, yesterday I became a True mage."

    Everyone was shocked, and started asking him questions after questions. He gave them all the same answer, that he suddenly felt enlightened, and without knowing as he was performing his daily meditation.

    David who is the only one who looked extremely skeptical, but Esdras was going to tell him about itter.

    Unfortunately, unlike Celine David only broke through to level four apprentice very recently, and he was definitely not ready to advance. It was not that Esdras was being stingy.

    The giant ant nest was much deeper in the forest and it was unknown in the vige. This was probably not a ce that was frequented often.

    It was built like a small mountain suddenly popped out of the forest, tens of giant red ants could be seen moving about. There were some goblins riding them.

 Chapter 93 Attack (1)

    "After my breakthrough I went on my own to investigate the Greendepth caverns."

    Esdras told them and their attention was focused on every word, "however, I believe the goblins of the Redpeal tribe are actually no longer staying there. I discovered that they were moving many materials and building traps all over the ce. So, I followed them until I discovered their real hideout, the giant ant nest."

    "If this is true then, the goblins must have somehow discovered that we found out their location, how is that possible?" Daylen asked as he figured that there was something suspicious going on.

    "I suspect that the Tigerw bastards are working with the goblins, probably for some time now." Esdras told them about his guess. "They probably alerted the goblins to our ns."

    "Unbelievable!" The prince mmed his fist into the table, "humans working with the likes of goblins? Fucking unforgivable!"

    No one doubted his words at all, at this point he became the one with the highest authority and say in the group because he was a True mage!

    As for why he didn''t tell them about Ilundar? He didn''t want any of them to provoke him, with things being this way, he wouldn''t get suspicious that anyone knew of him.

    If he suspected that his cover was blown he might join with the goblins actively. The Tigerw mercenaries were definitely in cahoots with the goblins and a much easier target.

    He would rather not have to fight him, their main objective was to retrieve the royal relic.

    But, if there was no way around it, then Esdras was not afraid of a confrontation.

    "But, we should not do anything about the Tigerw yet, we need to retrieve the relic." The Prince suddenly voiced his thoughts.

    "They are too many, and I suspect this not the extent of their slimy dealings. I will deal with them as soon as I return to the capital. We have war on our walls and thugs who would rather thieve and scam rather than help they would rather betray."

    The prince brought up a point that Esdras hadn''t thought about, it was this whole banditry. The goblins stole wheat, what did they do with it? Eat it all? Could be.

    But, what about the silk and clothes and such things? It was sold off, to whom? Interesting developments. And to think that all of it started with a goblin, Esdras was now really intrigued by this Redthorn.

    "We will act like we are abandoning the relic and go out together and then split up." Esdras told everyone his n, "after that the prince''s group will wait for us at the contact point, while we go and get the item."

    "Why do we have to do this?" Calvin asked.

    "It''s because of the people who are working with the goblins, who knows what they might do if you guys, who are injured and in no shape to fight stay here alone?" Dayeln answered oh his behalf.

    He was quick to catch on.

    "That''s right, this way we might even be able to confuse them. In any case we brought all the supplies we need, so why risk staying here any longer?" The prince agreed.

    Esdras nodded and with that they were about to start when Celine came downstairs. It seems she didn''t sleep that well.

    But everyone stopped whatever it is that they were doing to stare at her, after all as a woman they were bound to notice her more than Esdras.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "N-no, did, did she also...?" David, pointed with a trembling finger at her and couldn''t even finish the question.

    "Oh, I almost forgot, she also advanced at the same time as me coincidentally."

    Esdras casually exined.

    ***

    Right now they were overlooking the ant nest, almost everyone, had an ugly expression. And it was bigger than expected, and they also had to deal with the ants and theplex structure of the ce.

    As the ant nest was reinforced, or perhaps,bined with a wooden fort, built around it, and within it. How are the Redpeal goblins manage this was unknown.

    But perhaps they have been underestimating them, and that is why most people fell victim to their schemes so far.

    After all the traps they encountered when they chase the goblins was telling enough. The goblins must have someone who has some architectural knowledge.

    Even the tunnels that they dug for escape were impressive. He was beginning to understand why the force behind Ilundar wanter Redthorn to join them.

    "What''s with the long faces?" Esdrasughed.

    " did you see that structure even if we are able to get in it would be hard as hell to find the relic, not to mention the traps, and the goblins that we have to fight alongside the giant ants." David exined almost everything.

    " why do we have to enter there first and then navigate our way? I will just break the wall. Causing a disturbance and then I will interrogate one of the goblins."

    Esdras really thought that this was not veryplicated, the ability of the goblins to understand, and speak inmon could y to their advantage.

    "But, what about the relic? Won''t it be destroyed if we had bad luck?" Calvin added.

    "No, the relic is very durable. It will be fine. If we yed the way they wanted us to, then we might have to spend half a day just to search for it, and then navigate theplex tunnels, and so on and so forth. We can''t do that."

    Esdras had no intention to follow in the normal process of how other people did it, since he had enough power, why not use it?

    The goblins had no idea that their trap in Greendepth cavern failed, and they were not expecting an attack. They werepletely defenseless in the face of this ambush.

    Esdras told the others to make way and close their ears, and then he summoned the power of the element of fire and condensed it into a fireball, kept growing, bigger and bigger.

    It was not just big thanks to his free skills being level three the heat of the mes alone started to reach high levels, he was not sure just how hot it was, but he made it as hot as he possibly could.

    After 10 minutes the fireball was more than 5 m in diameter and he was feeling that he was going to lose control of it if he made it any bigger. He thought that he could make a bigger one but after it exceeded 3 m became so hard to make it any bigger.

 Chapter 94 Attack (2)

    If he was only a fire elemental mage you might not have been able to fire it with any significant impact. It was already so big just by touching someone it would explode it could probably kill anything.

    But Esdras was not willing topromise like that, he still had the wind element under his control tendrils of green wind, formed in front of his hand, like a vertex, and the speed kept increasing.

    The vortex of wind became so sharp that it could cut through metal like a hot knife through butter. With a shout, he mmed the vortex into the fireball and fired it at the ant nest.

    What he did not expect, was that the wind vortex fused with the fire ball as it wasunched at such a speed that it created, tearing sounds in the air.

    Fortunately, they were standing on a hill far away, this is why they were confident in escaping the st. From here, that was also no chance of three branches triggering the explosion of the fireball early.

    Some of the goblins riding on the giant ants, heard a disturbing noise, they were casually patrolling. On this day we werezing about as the annoying adventurous we''re going to be taken care of.

    So they didn''t bother to patrol very far although they received orders, even their superiors did not seem very strict today.

    However, attracted by the noise, some of them looked up only to see¡­ a meteor and a shooting from above at the horrifying speed and crashing into their nest, right in the center.

    The air pressure and heatbine to create an terrible explosion, that sounded like an earthquake Most of the goblins close to the explosion disappeared at once.

    One of the goblins who escaped the st fell down from the giant ant it was riding, there was smoke everywhere, and he couldn''t breathe properly.

    The nest they were proud of was like a fortress, it was the proof of the conquest of the forest. But now there was a gaping hole in the middle of it ¨C and smoke was rising to the sky from it.

    He could not hear properly, as there was a ringing noise in his ear constantly what he could see some of the goblins that survived, trying to put out the fire down. But it couldn''t be easy.

    Some of them or unlucky goblins, turned into charred bodies and they somehow survived, this is why they were lucky.

    He was the furthest one from the st, this is why he was rtively fine, however, he could not walk at first he waspletely out of bnce. There was also a gripping fear that made him unable to do anything.

    When he was finally able to here, once again, he heard footsteps approaching from the forest.

    "Can you shoot another one?" he had the human ask. It was a human voice that was how he knew.

    " do you think you can keep them distracted for 10 minutes or more?" Another voice answered, sounding annoyed.

    The goblin shivered, he had no idea what exactly happened, but he had a terrible feeling that that meteor was not entirely natural. From the sound of it is horrifying humans responsible for it.

    Esdras took one mana potion to recover after all, casting those two spells consumed half of his mana, too quickly which caused dizziness and headache.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was not easy to cast such a special for him, after all, he just recently advanced, and this was all done through three skills instead of using a spell so the construction of mana was simply ridiculous.

    It has to be said that his mana stat was now at 8, too great for a recently advanced mage. This stat was approaching the limit of rank 2.

    The limit of rank 2 should be 12 for each state, it was just an educated guess.

    He did not expect that the two spells created such as synergy, in ordinary circumstances, the destruction would not have been that great.

    Esdras admired the results of his own power, and confirmed that he himself did something like this, it was a great feeling of aplishment. Finally, he''s on power which such a degree.

    [+ 210 EXP]

    The day wille when he could do something like this casually.

    One fallen goblin Was looking at them, Esdras thought that it was such a great coincidence, just fine they wanted to look for a goblin to interrogate they found one.

    "Hey, there little friend? Are you OK? Do you need some water?" Esdras kindly took out his own water skin and give it to the goblin.

    ? But the goblin, unfortunately refused his kindness, and kept staring at him in a trance. So he gave him a couple hard ps until he finally responded.

    "Hik! Yes yes!" a goblin looked at him and her and took the water skin but he didn''t drink he seemed like he didn''t know what to do with it. But that was fine.

    Esdras mainly feared that the goblin wouldn''t be able tomunicate with them, but it seems that he was in luck today.

    "Where is Redthorn keeping the box that you took from us? You know that one don''t try to lie to me as long as you give it to us or tell me where it is we will leave here."

    Thank God, he looked around at them, but it seems that he did not have the heart to refuse, or he was probably already shaken after witnessing that spell.

    "You are the adventures? He he keeps the box in his throne room, above in the top."

    Esdras frowned, he thought that it was kept down underground, but it seems that what Wiggletoes said was true, Redthorn was obsessed with the box and kept it with him.

    "Do you know where the traps are hidden? If you take us up there, without any trickery then I will spare your life, how about it?"

 Chapter 95 Ant Nest

    Esdras knew for a fact that the ce still had many traps although they could probably navigate the ce themselves now thanks to the chaos created by his spell, but it was still better to have a guide someone from the inside.

    "That, I don''t know... I am not allowed to work up there I don''t know anything! Hik! But but I can lead you to some robs adders that will take you up there fast."

    "No need, you''ve done enough thank you and goodbye." Esdras nodded at Calvin and he beheaded the goblin at once.

    He wouldn''t take the risk to trust such an information from the goblin, even the news about Redthorn was not fully confirmed yet he was still going to ask a few more goblins just make sure.

    If he believed everything that goblin said, he would be an idiot.

    Seeing that there was no time to waste. Otherwise the goblins will re-organize once again, and they will lose this precious chance so they entered through the burning nest, which was full of birds of bodies and ash.

    The whole smell of the ce along with the burnt bodies was disturbing to say the least. It created the image of a horrible battle.

    Many ants could be seen frantically spasming. I''m doing nothing in particr. Some of the goblins began to react thatst, and some of them were shouting and pointing at the fire.

    Calvin, the closebatant, was the first to rush in, he disyed a better version of the pseudo-techniques that he showed to Esdras a while back.

    He disposed of tens of goblins, while they were searching for the best method to reach the top of the nest. From the inside, it looks no different than an ant nest, except it was giant.

    Also, it had beenbined with several structures built with crude wood. He assume that this is how the goblins moved about daily.

    Meanwhile, Dalen and David interrogated a few more goblins and confirmed that the item was indeed in the top.

    Esdras certainly felt something and lifted his hand in the air and caught an arrow and at his head. The arrow wasced with poison, and it was very powerful for goblins.

    He looked up on one of the ram parts and saw several hobgoblins armed to the teeth. At first look, you would think that they were elite soldiers.

    He checked them all up and discovered that they were all level 3, they possessed better stats than regr goblins and stood at the heights regr humans.

    Suddenly a water current mmed into them, they did not expect to be all in the range of the attack, the water did not even tag them alone the entirety of the rampart was washed with high-pressure water.

    They fell down and died on impact, that was Celine''s work. Unfortunately, he missed out on the EXP but it was fine.

    Seeing others doing their part, allowed him the time to analyze the structure and finally figured out a way to climb up.

    It was actually thanks to the ce falling apart that allowed him to see you thinks much clearly, there are several pitfalls that would have taken them somewhere else entirely.<novelnext></novelnext>

    At this time, many goblins started appearing out of the different holes within the ant nest. Some of them were riding, don''t ants and screeching loudly, pointing various weapons at them.

    "Guys! Start climbing up this way!" Esdras pointed at the direction he wanted them to follow.

    "What will you do?" David was first to listen to him and asked him.

    "I will do some cleaning up here." Esdras didn''t need to do this now per se, but it was better to be out of them now so that they don''t get surroundedter on.

    They had no doubts about his strength, so they started cleaning up, which gave him the chance to cover their backs, and at the same time get some of that EXP back.

    Fire zed around him in a circle, with a thought, these mes turned into streams of fire that burned down everything that they touched that they be giant ants or goblins.

    This was an improved version of methrower, he also change the spell a bit through maniption, and increased its heat to the most optimal degree.

    The best weapon against ants was fire.

    As he was doing that at the same time he conjured five fireballs that floated above his head in an arch. Each fireball was a meter and a half in diameter.

    The special toys were prepared for the group of hobgoblins attacking from the east, they were riding direwolves and one of them was a level 4.

    Esdras smiled and released his spiked mace, in this mess, the spikes for much more pronounced, and there was a hole in the middle of the tip area of the mace, a sparking, fire zed there.

    I like a sh, cutting an ark in the goblin horde. I''m crushing their bones one after another, and a single strike. That was all it took to kill three or four goblins at once.

    The hobgoblins thought that they would corner him by closing the distance between them when they realize that he was a mage.

    But that only elerated their doom. In close quarters with magic and his enhanced body Esdras was a god of death.

    After advancing to the True mage realm, his capacity to unleash magic tripled. Even Esdras did not know what his limits were after all he did note close to going all out against these goblins.

    After he was done, he noticed that his teammates were already up there, so he put away that maze and jumped. After them killing every goblin he saw on the way with stone bullets.

    They entered one of the tunnels, and started advancing slowly, curiously enough there was not many traps here. After all, if there were any traps, the goblins would always have to tiptoe in their own base, which was not really practical.

    Esdras andpany felt an enraged roar, echoing from the end of the tunnel that they were in right now.

 Chapter 96 Redthorn

    The entire ant nest started shaking for a while, it was already in terrible shape after his spell and now it started falling apart.

    "There''s no time to waste!" Daylen started running, " we have to retrieve it and get the hell out of here!"

    Esdras agreed, if this ce fell apart, he was not afraid that the relic would be destroyed, but buried under all of this.

    It would be much harder to find it if that was the case I need to be even get lost forever.

    He did not expect that his spell would be this powerful, perhaps this ce was not exactly very stable either.

    The shaking stopped, and they continued running at the end of the tunnel. He saw that Daylen stopped in ce for some reason.

    When they caught up, they finally understood why, at the end of the tunnel made up of sand there was a thin bridge made of brambles, the bridge lead to a huge room that had cracks running through the walls.

    In order to reach that room, they had to cross this bridge, and if they failed or made a mistake, they would fall to their deaths.

    Only Esdras and Calvin what are equipped to make that trip, the others simply did not have the training or the capabilities to do something like this.

    If there was enough time, then he could probably think of a way, but at this rate he would have to go alone.

    "You guys stay here as you can see none of you can cross, stay here and fend off any goblins or ants that attempt to get through."

    Selena and David both protested, but he was not having it. This is not the time to argue situation does not allow for discussion.

    "David and Celine, you two must create a mudslide here. I''m sure that when I retrieve the item that I want to be time to go down that way we came so we will use the mudslide here. Do you understand how to work together, rightbining water and earth."

    This was a good way to avoid the clich?? of barely making it out in thest moment. After who knows if something like that was even possible in real life?

    As for why he did not take Calvin with him? He was the only closebatant other than him, and he had to buy time for the others to prepare their spells if they were attacked.

    As for him, he probably could take care of himself.

    Esdras didn''t waste any time and started crossing the bridge, there was cold wind, passing through the holes in the ant nest, which would have disturbed ordinary people for sure.

    But he was not a dream man, and he started running casually, he cross the bridge in a minute. There was a gate in front of him which he destroyed with a single punch.

    With a thought manifested his mace add, entered the throne room. That is what it could only be called, right?

    A throne of twisted vines stance atop a raised dais of greying wood. A hooded figure sits on the throne, its eyes zing with a fiery light. The floor of the chamber has been etched and stained with an unfamiliar shape.

    Esdras looked around and didn''t see anyone else beside the hooded figure on the throne.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Human, you dare to attack my liar? You dare to kill my subordinates? You dare murder my friends? I am a merciful goblin most of the time, but for you, I have no such mercy."

    The hooded figure did not move but it spoke with a dignified anger.

    " this ce will soon fall down. Why don''t you make a run for it?" Esdras asked while looking around and narrowed his eyes.

    " why would I run? If the ce falls down, I can rebuild it or maybe I will just move on somewhere else since you found this ce the rest of the disgusting humans will soon hear about it I imagine. But tell me how did you find it in the first ce?"

    Redthorn couldn''t figure out how the adventurers found theyer instead of falling for the trap in Greendepth caverns.

    " who knows maybe someone you know told me" Esdras smirked.

    He did not attack yet, because all the disys seemed to have only Redthorn, he could not possibly believe that it was unprotected.

    The problem was his senses have been disturbed with the shaking of the nest, and the many ants living in the walls of the nest, just made it difficult for his senses to work properly.

    However, he was not want to hesitate for too long. He just thought that maybe they could resolve this without any further violence. After all, he was here to retrieve the relic, and if this goblin hid it before his death, it may be difficult for him to find it.

    "You know what I''m here for, give me the item you stole from us and I will be on my way. I don''t care about your dealings with others or your schemes. Just give me the item, and I will go out of here without hurting another goblin. This I swear."

    Esdras was being honest.

    " you think you can just resolve this after killing my friends? I will never forgive you!"

    Esdras sighed, as he thought it was difficult to solve the problem without violence, this whole thing started with violence anyway. He just thought that he might be able to convince this intelligent goblin.

    With a wave of his hand and stone bullet, the size of a head started spinning in the air, creating a whirlwind, and then he fired it a momentter.

    His target was the head of the goblin.

    Without giving it time to react the bullet shattered Redthorn''s head at once.

    Esdras blinked, he did not think it was going to be that easy. But then he immediately started running away.

    Because what he destroyed was not Redthorn, it was a mannequin, and, after being struck, it exploded in a sh.

    Esdras knew that he couldn''t make it out of the room that quick, but he was not about to give up that easily. He canceled his earth and water magic and turned the ground underneath him directly into mud and sank in quickly. Then he closed the top on himself.

 Chapter 97 Final Battle

    Esdras used his quick wits and devised a method on the fly, but it came at a cost. He was cramped, his body was under tremendous pressure and he couldn''t stay down here too long without air.

    He detected that something was wrong but because his senesces were disturbed he couldn''t put his finger on what it was so he decided to just kill the goblin and be done with it.

    Who would have expected that whole thing was a trap, yet he was certain he heard the goblin talking to him. How could he have done that? The source of the voice was surely from the puppet.

    The goblin was much more dangerous than expected, he must not dally.

    The thing that saved his life was that he attacked from far away, if he was a melee fighter he would have been done for.

    Esdras extended his mana and manipted the earth to crawl out, his clothes were ruined but he was otherwise unharmed.

    He dusted off and looked around, the room looked in terrible state, whatever explosive that was, it certainly wasn''t a joking matter.

    The fire was still burning the ce and it left scorch marks on the ground but there was no sign of any goblin around.

    Esdras would probably have to expend some time and effort to search, in the meantime he would open himself to sneak attacks and traps like the one before.

    Not a bad strategy. If Redthorn fought elsewhere he would be at a disadvantage, this is why he didn''t leave. Leaving meant abandoning his strongest defenses and exposing himself to the enemy.

    But, he met the wrong opponent.

    Esdras took a deep breath, that breath was actually not normal. It was abnormally deep, and it went on for a long time as it went on the surrounding air, kept on elerating swirling around and faster and faster.

    If, Redthorn survived this, then great but if he died then it couldn''t be helped.

    The alcoves that made up the roof of the room, started shaking with the gale. A whirlwind started forming around Esdras finally fire bloomed by a flower within a tornado.

    That also swept away the smoke that obscured him and revealed the fact that he survived the explosion.

    Before he could release the me whirlwind several arrows or shot at him from the alcoves. The arrows were all deflected by the strong gales.

    Esdras smiled, they chose to reveal themselves but it was already toote, he was not going to stop his attack. Getting the whirlwind going was the hard part and it was over.

    It was like the scene of a storm that ravaged the entirety of the throne room, forcing the goblins above to defend themselves against the raging mes in the cutting wind des that he hid within the whirlwind.

    [+ 200 EXP]

    One of the goblins that survived was red and well dressed, he was the leader of this goblin tribe. He was a little shorter than a hobgoblin but he was much leaner and had clear eyes.

    [Name: Redthorn]

    Rank: 2

    Race: great goblin

    ? ss: Mechanical engineer

    - Domination Lv.1

    - Leadership Lv.2

    - Spirit Bear''s digestive system Lv.1

    - Trapsmith Lv.2

    Traits:<novelnext></novelnext>

    - Evolution key: Growth type trait. All subordinates and followers will get the chance to evolve alongside the bearer of the trait.

    ''Holy what???''

    Esdras''s eyes open wide at the trait that this goblin had, it exins everything. No wonder the goblins of the Redpeal tribe started evolving so fast.

    After all, even if the first catastrophe was around the corner, I did not exin the sudden increase in the intelligence and the appearance of rare goblins, like hobgoblins in the tribe in particr.

    Thanks to his third eye, he knew that Redthorn who is not a fighter call them he was around to creature he was no match for him in front of confrontation.

    Perhaps it was the reason why Redthorn didn''t want to show himself so much.

    Suddenly a giant, and hit Brooke through the room from the outside and truck at him.

    Esdras did not run away nor did he dodge, he took the strike head on with his mace.

    [Ant queen Lv. 6]

    Rank: 2

    Esdras willed the mace to turn into liquid form and solidified it after entering the mouth of the giant ant queen. Several silver spikes skewered the ant from within and Esdras finished the job with full power methrower.

    [+155 EXP]

    The corpse of the giant any queen fell which caused the ce to break down even faster.

    Redthorn tried to run, Esdras had incredibly high level agility so how could he escape?

    The rest of the goblins were dealt with in q matter of seconds before he finally pinned this slippery goblin and looked him in the eye.

    "Alright, where is it?" Esdras asked as he pressed the goblin down and restrained his hands.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    "You know damn well!" Esdras pped him with a force that knocked out a few teeth. "Tell me if you don''t want to die!"

    "You''re going to kill me anyway!"

    "I am not, at least not if you agree to my conditions." Esdras''s eyes gleamed. "Here, sign this."

    Esdras took out an old but clean-looking parchment paper, it was nk except for two dotted lines at the end.

    "An agreement? You really think I''m stupid? There''s nothing even written there!" Redthorn predictably refused.

    Esdras was slightly embarrassed, he didn''t know that he would be using it today. So how could he have prepared it?

    "Just sign here, or die. Are you even in the position to negotiate with me?" Esdras wasn''t about to listen to some bullshit right now. "It''s just nk now, I will add the detailster."

    "Oh, fuck off then! Might as well die anyway. You will never find the item you are looking for, hahahah" Redthorn, unexpectedly had a stubborn personality and refused to bend in the face of certain death.

    Suddenly as the fire raged around them it burned down some walls and the material fell to reveal a secret room filled with gold and precious goods.

    Redthorn:...

 Chapter 98 Infernal Pact

    Esdras licked his lips, "Oooh, what''s this? This must be your personal storage. Hehe heh, it looks like you were busy huh, thanks for the hard work."

    "No! Bastard, it''s mine! Stay away! It''s not for you!"

    "The fuck you mean it''s not for me? Winner takes all, aren''t you familiar with this rule? Tsk, tsk." Esdras didn''t bother looking after he found the box immediately.

    It looks like Redthorn put it away hastily and didn''t have the time to stash it away carefully.

    Esdras wanted to put inside the ring, but couldn''t. For some reason it was not going in. There was a repulsive invisible force that prevented the box from going into the ring.

    Esdras took a moment to think and decided to just take it in his backpack, next was all the loot collected by the goblin.

    At this sight, Redthorn''s eyes turned red, just like his skin, that seemed fitting somehow. His expression was a mixture of unbridled rage and disbelief.

    Esdras then picked the goblin up and ran out of the chamber, he crossed the bridge and found the rest of the party struggling against a hoard of giant ants.

    When they noticed him he motioned for them to jump through the  opening in the wall, they did so and slid down the mudslide that was made by Celine and David previously.

    Esdras killed a few ants and followed suit.

    The mudslide was much more dangerous than a Disneynd ride, as the air whizzed past him, he realized that some of the ants were following them.

    Esdras saw that the others made it safely so he struck the mudslide and destroyed it in one strike, it was not exactly sturdy to begin with.

    "What the--!" Redthorn squealed.

    He and the goblin fell off in the middle of the ride, Esdras didn''t react, he just kept and close look about his surroundings and before the impact he  used wind magic to cushion the blow.

    He created a hot air current that acted as a buffer, it seemed like they were floating in the air freely for a bit.

    Even then, if he was a normal human he would have had to suffer several broken bones and might''ve died anyway. Good thing he had an enhanced body.

    "You''re crazy! What kind of maniac are you? You could have killed the damn antster!"

    "True," Esdras agreed with the goblin and smacked him across the face several times, " do I need you to tell me that?"

    Esdras just used it as a convenient opportunity to naturally separate himself from the party. He raised his hand and shot a re spell high in the air.

    Thie was a signal telling them that he was fine and that he would meet them at the rendezvous point.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He didn''t have to because they already nned to meet up there if anyone got separated from the party.

    But seeing him fall from such a height, something may have decided to look for him instead, which will defeat the purpose of separating himself from them for the time being.

    With that being done and him being in a hurry, he took out a pen and started writing the contract on the infernal parchment. It did not take very long after all it was a pretty simple contract.

    From now on the goblin Redthorn will take him as his master at the end of time, and he was not allowed to betray him in anyway shape or form he was not allowed to deceive him or trick him. He was also not allowed to purposefully feel any task assigned to him by Esdras.

    Every time the goblin disobeyed an order he would feel the pain of his bones breaking and his internal organs burning. If the goblin were to betray him, then he would lose his soul to hell. He did not need to specify this part, as it was already part of the conditions to use the infernal pact.

    Esdras gave the contract to Redthorn, to sign.

    Redthorn was skeptical. He did not understand what is human who is trying to do after all if he really wanted to enve him signing a piece of paper was not enough. Far from it.

    He was a goblin, and he was not bound by the rules of humans and their society, did this paper have legal effect in areas that humans did not hold dominion like the forest to deep swamps and so on?

    But if this human was going to let him live, thanks to his naivety, then he could use this to his advantage. Redthorn signed the paper without too much thought it did not matter what kind of conditions he agreed to after all it was just a piece of paper.

    And this part about hell and what not he did not believe in this bullshit at all.

    Esdras didn''t think that the goblin would really sign it without any resistance at all he did not even bother, bargaining or negotiating. He was even ready to adjust some of the conditions.

    That''s why you''re such harsh conditions at first because he thought that he would have to lower that demandter on. Who knew that this so-called smart goblin would sell out his soul so easily.

    "Okay, now then. As promised I will let you go." Esdras untied the goblin and took several steps back.

    They probably looked around and then at his own hands and feet. He was contemting going to make it escape, but worse he has to make sure that this human has led down his guard.

    He went down on his knees and mmed his head to the ground, " master I am your eternal ve. Please ask of me what you wish."

    Esdras nodded inwardly. He wanted to see how effective the infernal pack was, after all, he was going to use it to establish his rtionship with the pharaoh. In a way that could be called a test.

    "First, tell me do you know Ilundar Sunspear?"

    The goblin looked flustered for a moment, " who is that? I have no idea truly, I am not sure I even heard of the name before."

    After Redthorn said this is body, certainly convulsed, and screamed like he never did in his entire life. He felt the bones in his entire body from the smallest toe bone to his own skull, breaking and then his internal organs were on fire.

 Chapter 99 Planning

    Redthorn didn''t experience any of those thing in reality, however he was experiencing the true pain he would have felt if he experienced such torture.

    Even Esdras felt sick to his stomach seeing Redthorn convulsing and writhing on the ground. He understood one thing for sure now, the infernal pact was indeed the real thing.

    He knew that before, but seeing it firsthand was different than just reading an item description.

    The torturested only a minute in reality but goblin felt as if an entire lifetime had passed already.

    "I''m sorry, please¡­ I will tell you everything I know." The goblin, looked at him with the look of fear and realization.

    He realized that the fact he signed recklessly, was actually binding. He knew about magic items for sure, but he had never seen one before. And even if he did, he would not have recognized the infernal pact for what it was.

    This was a new item in this world it had never existed before, and the goblin was not magically attuned. He could only curse him self for his recklessness in despair.

    "Okay, now tell me everything about Ilundar and don''t leave anything out¡­ if you do, you know what will happen."

    "Hik! Yes, I understand. But I truly don''t know much about him. All I know is that he is a member of an organization. I don''t even know what they call themselves. But one day around six months ago Ilundar and the masked man came to meet me they wanted to recruit me to their organization."

    " so Ilundar was a member of this organization, and this masked man what else can you tell me about him?"

    " he is powerful, really powerful. I have never seen anyone as powerful as him before. Not even you good match up to him he was terrifying, but he did not force me to join his organization. He just told me to think about it and tell Ilundar if I change my mind. He was tall, but there is nothing special about him except his mask. It was split in half half was gold, and the other was ck."

    Esdras frowned Ilundar was at rank 2 peak, and even now he wasn''t sure that you could take him on. After all he just recently advanced to rank 2, if he had umted a decent amount of spells and time to actually practice, he had the confidence to defeat him, but not now.

    After all is disy today, might have been great for others but actually, it was amateurish at best. If he was a real experienced mage he would have done things differently.

    But it wasn''t like he did badly he did aplish his objective in the end.

    The masked man was interesting. He must be ranked three or higher if he could have a subordinate like Ilundar. Moreover, he was confident to actually leave such a powerful, subordinate here.

    Either he ced great importance on Redthorn or such a subordinate was not very special to him.

    In any case, it was best to avoid going back to Yellostone for the time being.

    "So, about your little scheme in this town, who is working with you?" Esdras already had an idea, but he wanted to hear it from the mouth of the horse, so to say. Besides, he could have missed something.

    "I made a deal with the mayor and the Tigerw mercenaries, they would pretend to protect this area while allowing my tribe to steal as we wish on the conditions that we do not kill anyone and the loads we stole, would be sold back to them cheaply."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Esdras noted it was not a bad n, it was very direct and effective as well, for all the three parties involved. The mercenary''s would spread their name and influence for at least attempting to help and would still get paid even if they failed.

    The mayor on the other hand, will get ess to valuable goods for cheap prices. However, that was not all the merchants who had their goods stolen from them would have to sell whatever they had left in this town just to recoup some of their losses.

    " you might have been able to figure that out, sir" the goblin praised, " but I have discovered something else too, the mayor is actually working with Barron Fornhart of Cilios."

    " how? And what would the Baron gain by working with the mayor?" Esdras asked he had a feeling that this was not a simple matter.

    ? " it''s also about the goods, you''ll see most of the goods sold to the mayor can''t be sold back here otherwise it would attract unwanted attention. Some of them can be sold here, because none of the towns people can even afford these kind of goods."

    " that makes sense."

    " it''s also thanks to this, that we managed to buy an even customize, a lot of armor and weapons."

    Esdras couldn''t help but be taken aback by all of this, these guys were really making it big going all out during the war. But who knew that they would end up offending the crown, prince unknowingly.

    *sigh*

    Such is fate. He could see the resentment in the prince of the goblins. How would you feel if he knew that a nobleman actually did all this?

    "I assume you have written evidence of these transactions in the pile of documents that I took from your storage am I right?" Esdras asked.

    Looks like the goblin did not expect Esdras to figure that out, but he had already seen how smart the goblin Wass. He must have prepared this to ckmail the bottleter on after building up his forces enough.

    "Alright, I will give you this," Esdras took out a coin pouch, and handed it to the goblin. I didn''t know exactly how much there was. There was a lot of silver and copper in it.

    "Y-you''re letting me go for real?" Redthorn asked hopefully, his eyes watering a bit in the corners.

    "Letting you go? Wake the fuck up! You''re my ve where would you go without my orders? Now listen up and stop spacing out. Go to the Bone gorge of the Kazzat kingdom and make a base for yourself with the rest of the survivors of the goblins here."

    " that''s too far!" The goblinined.

    " I imagine it will not be that hard for such an intelligent goblin like you, anyway, I''m not sending you the randomly close by the area. You must infiltrate and spy on the going on''s of the Varthos territory."

    Esdras narrowed his eyes and an ominous energy radiated out of him. He was not going to spell anyone that target in his life. Whatever the reasons, maybe they could only die, even if they were rted by blood.

 Chapter 100 Legacy Magic

    "Find out everything that goes on there, who are the important people? What are their strengths and weaknesses? their rtionships with each other, their wants and needs, everything. Do you understand what I''m talking about?"

    "that''s too much. I need more money to do something like this. It will be very hard to spy on nobles without more money." Redthorn said.

    Esdras thought that it was reasonable so he gave him a few gold pieces.

    After all, he couldn''t just show up there and use brute force to take everything and punish the people he didn''t like. After all, this was a ce ofw, and he wasn''t strong enough to ignore thews of the tower.

    Besides, he wanted to know what was really happening there and what made his uncle so desperate to kill him so irrationally. He wanted to know who his allies were and what was his uncle''s intention exactly.

    It was easy to me his uncle, but he had lost since noticed several inconsistencies in this theory.

    This did not mean that is the uncle didn''t want him dead that was already confirmed but he wanted to know why did he get so anxious about it?

    Moreover, how did he recruit an aspiring mage like Robert to help him? He knew about the financial and political situation of the family very well it should not be easily done, if at all.

    Redthorn took the money and went over to regroup with the rest of the goblins who were nning to ambush them in Greendepth cavern.

    Of course, there was also another reason that he wanted Redthorn, it was his trait. How could he not be greedy for it? In fact, it was a cheat like ability.

    He wanted to study deeply in the future and see how he could best utilize it. In the future, he could not possibly do everything himself he needed capable allies and subordinates.

    Esdras carried on to the rendezvous point, and met with the others sessfully. He carefully presented the box to the crown prince who got up and hugged him.

    "Thank you, you are all brave heroes! I am not one to forget my depths, and I owe you a heavy one this time. I will make sure to reward you."

    Daylen and Esdras what are the only ones who understood exactly what this meant everyone else just humbly nodded along.

    The mages especially only did this for the mission that they were assigned, and not for anyone in particr, except themselves.

    They did not remain idle very long because of his nagging, Esdras did not want to stay very close to that down, even at the expense of hurrying along the road.

    Everything was as usual on the first day, but on the next day, he felt unusual movement in his sea of consciousness.

    The Pharaoh is awake once again.

    Esdras met him in his spirit form.

    "So, how long has it been since I slumbered? Not very long, I imagine. So did you think about what we talked aboutst time?" The pharaoh asked.

    "Yes, I have. And before that I want to ask you some questions of my own is that all right, pharaoh?" Esdras nodded.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Sure, sure¡ª wait why did you call me pharaoh? That''s strange I don''t recall telling you to call me that."

    " I mean you were sleeping in a sarcophagus inside the dungeon so, I just thought¡ª"

    " fine whatever you can call me that if you like. How many times did you attempt the dungeon anyway do you know how many times it was clear before you?"

    " that''s an odd question, but I actually do know." Esdras smiled proudly, " it was never cleared before then I was the first want to clear it."

    " are you telling the truth? But then how was my sealing formation opened? It''s impossible for the seal to wear off in the first attempt. Not only was it my own seal that was also the effect of thebyrinth magic."

    "byrinth magic? What seal you mean that gate to the room you were sleeping in? I just opened it normally I just pushed it a little and it''s opened¡­"

    " cut the bullshit!"

    " I am serious. I have no reason to lie to you about this." Esdras rolled his eyes, what seal? He didn''t see anything of the like. This year was probably a rodent in such a long time.

    " that is absurd that can''t be right¡­ if my calctions are correct, then I only slept part for 3000 years at most, my magic wouldn''t have been weekend in that time¡­"

    " there''s no way we will figure that out by discussing it. Let us talk about more important things. Like this," Esdras in the real world, took out one of the infernal pacts.

    " can you see it in the real world?" Esdras wasn''t exactly sure how this worked, but he was trying to visualize the paper so that the pharaoh can see it.

    "Hey! That''s mine!" The pharaoh was enraged.

    " it was yours, and now it''s mine. Who told you to keep it in a treasure chest? By the way, what do you do that isn''t that weird?"

    Esdras had to ask because this was a real world. It was not a game designed by developers, so how could items to be put in treasure chest? It was impractical.

    " it wasn''t me why would I put my items in treasure chests? This is just an after effect of thebyrinth magic. It''s extremely mysterious and iprehensible. Especially since this was a naturalbyrinth."

    " isbyrinth of magic very powerful? Can you tell me about it more?" Esdras asked for the gleaming eyes.

    This was actually one of the rewards that he got for clearing the dungeon, and he wanted to know more about it, and how he could collect the rest of the magic legacy fragments.

    " sure I know a fair bit, but why should I tell you what will I get in exchange? I think I will be in the mood to tell you about it if you cultivate the blood moon crystal for me."

    Esdras decided that he must fix this arrogant attitude today.

 Chapter 101 Partnership

    The sea of consciousness was twisting and turning on its own without his intervention. After his breakthrough, it became even faster for some reason.

    Esdras moved his eyes over to the ck lump with two fiery eyes.

    "I took out this pact so that we coulde to an understanding. I believe that it will be good for the two of us, don''t you think so?"

    "It depends on what terms you want, I would rather not have to go through that hassle."

    "It''s simple, you will be bound to be my servant and I will make sure to get you out of this world within three hundred years, I think this is fair."

    "Me? Your servant? You''re dreaming! What would I gain by just getting out of this world? You might just throw me into the void."

    "Fine, tell if you have a better idea!" This was a good way to figure out what the pharaoh really wanted.

    "Listen to me, just take me as your master and I will take care of everything. I will guid you in your advancements, even if you took this kind of crappy ss, as an elemental mage, I could teach you the ritual of the Elemental lord ss at Rank 5!"

    "And what would you get in return?" Esdras wasn''t sure what this meant but he was interested more in what he had to give in return.

    "Just about what we talked about, getting out of world but we''re not just going anywhere. We will go to my original world, there we will easily ess my demi-ne where I stashed endless treasures! I will be able to recover properly in time for the Convergence!"

    Esdrass could imagine this guy licking his lips with an evil grin even though he had no expression except for his eyes.

    "So, were you as powerful as a god in your prime?" Esdras asked, this n might not be that bad.

    "A god? Where did you get that idea? I wasn''t even close to that level, you think it''s just as simple as that."

    Esdras frowned, "then what would you even do in the Convergence if you''re not as powerful as a god?"

    In his opinion only the gods will have a good time in the Convergence. If you were not at that level then forget about it.

    "What do you mean?" The Pharaoh sounded confused, "why would gods be involved in this Convergence? You are ignorant so, I will exin. The gods and such beings won''t be interested in such a thing. Besides how could this world amodate rank 10 beings even after the convergence!"

    "But¡­" Esdras was certain the gods will indeed be interested. He saw that scene with his own eyes. "You mean level 7 worlds can''t sustain gods?"

    "What level 7? There are no level 7 worlds to begin with! Don''t spout nonsense if you don''t know, you''re getting on my nerves. At the end of the convergence this will only be a level 4 world at most. The only ces in the universe that can sustain true rank 10 beings is the nes of existence, even level 6 worlds can only sustain a true avatar."

    Esdras gained a lot of information through this conversation but he was fed up with being talked down to.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You''re the one who is ignorant, let me tell you, this world will attract those rank 10 beings, and it will be a level 7 world-ne! I saw it with my own eyes. You''re not the only one who can divine the future."

    "Bull¡ª wait where did you hear the term world-ne?¡­ that''s a theoretical concept¡­ it couldn''t exist in reality, right?"

    The ck lump of arrogance finally began to question himself. If he didn''t know that Esdras was special he wouldn''t even consider hearing these words let alone contemting on them.

    "Level 7, level 7¡­ if that''s true then no wonder the rank 10''s are interested¡­ fuck! This is not something we should meddle in. Wait! You said you saw the future? That faraway?"

    "I have a few tricks!" Esdras smugly enjoined this reaction.

    "Fool! Even if you have a talent for it, you will end up losing your mind! This world''s fate is jumbled up and obscured, the more you look into it the more you be a vassal of that fate. The only reason you didn''t die is because you have a high level of existence to begin with, but don''t push your luck."

    Esdras remembered that he suffered incredible pain thest time, and perhaps there were even more side effects he wasn''t aware of so he decided to limit himself in using divination.

    It was already limited by consuming Origin points.

    "Okay, enough of this. Why don''t we put our differences aside and focus on practicality? Let us be partners. You help me with your knowledge and experience while I make sure to get you to your demi-ne in less than two hundred years. The more time you have to recover the better for you."

    "Fine, I can agree to these terms. But I won''t be forced to share my knowledge, only if I see that you are directly trying to aplish that goal will I help you."

    "That''s fair enough. Let me write it down." Esdras wrote down the terms which were frankly more like a loose agreement.

    "¡­ and done. Wait how will you sign it?" Esdras suddenly realized he didn''t think of that before.

    "It''s fine, just help me by supplying me with your spiritual energy."

    Esdras didn''t mind, he sent his spiritual energy into the spirit of the Pharaoh and he started floating. In the real world, there was an ethereal spiriting out of his body and it controlled the pen to sign on the infernal pact.

    The signature waspletely unclear, it was a differentnguage that waspletely foreign and unknown. It waspletely different from hownguages were supposed to be.

    After signing the spirit, quickly faded away and return back to his sea of consciousness.

    "Ooh, wait what magic did you use to control the pen just now? Telekinesis? Teach me!"

    Esdras didn''t miss the chance to ask, more importantly, that magic did not require any mana as far as he was concerned if used pure spiritual energy.

 Chapter 102 New Powers And Future Troubles

    " telekinesis? No it''s not. This is something I can do spiritual maniption. It does, indeed share some simrities to telekinesis."

    "Can you teach me?" Esdras asked enthusiastically.

    " sure, I don''t mind. You will be able to use itter on naturally, but it doesn''t hurt to learn right now. It will help you in situations where you can''t use mana. But it will take practice and hard work."

    " first you have to practice, maintaining your spiritual energy outside of your physical body. After you can maintain it perfectly without any waste, you can move onto the next step, which is infusing your spiritual energy into objects.

    Once you do that, you will feel the connection between you and the object remember to start small. Finally, if your spiritual energy and practice reaches a certain degree you can infuse your spiritual energy into living beings and possess them. However, there is a condition to all this."

    "What is it?"

    " you must collect negative energy from other living beings, negative energy is the perquisite do using these kind of special abilities. You don''t need to much of it you just need some of it in order to transform your spiritual energy slightly and give it negative energy from the negative energy ne."

    " and how do I do that? Are there any repercussions to this?" Esdras what is not a rash, he wanted to explore everything before trying it out himself and finding outter.

    He had to find out if it was worth it or not. The ability sounded really powerful and very useful. If used correctly inbat scooter the tide and even be a trump card.

    " don''t worry as I said you were just taking a little bit of negative energy, let nearly like ghosts, or other undead. Besides I will teach you to make sure that the negative energy stays  stored within your spirit body."

    " can I go beyond the third stage?" Esdras wondered.

    "Of course if you want to increase the abilities at your disposal, you have to absorb more negative energy in that case you might be able to acquire abilities like hypnosis, illusion, and so forth. Of course, this alles to increasing the negative energy and when it goes past a certain range the negative energy will start to corrode you which will slowly change you into a killing machine."

    " all right I guess that risk is eptable." Esdras nodded, it was indeed possible for things to go wrong, but there was no such thing as a risk-free power. Everything came at a price.

    "Good, I will pass on that negative energy gathering technique to you. Once youplete it, you will be ready to start training to maintain your spiritual energy outside of your physical body."

    "Thank you, actually, I just realize that the talking to you is much easier than I thought it would be. Back when you first awakened, you acted like a third grade viin." Esdrasughed.

    "Ah, don''t mention it that was actually because of the negative energy corruption that I suffer in order to resurrect myself. Negative energy has the impact of amplifying the worst traits that you possess. On the other hand, you can ess all of these abilities without having to take on the burden of another ss."<novelnext></novelnext>

    " the burden of another ss?" Esdras repeated that exactlyprehending, " is it bad to have a lot of sses?"

    Esdras thought that he could take on any number of sses that he liked he could make up for any weaknesses. He had an update any type of ability as long as he had enough EXP.

    " obviously it''s bad, the problem is that you do not understand what the ss is. Think of yourself as a container for power and knowledge. Now, as a vessel do you have infinite capacity? Obviously not. Living beings have a limited capacity, and I cannot endure too many sses in fact, the disadvantages of so many that I struggle to even list them one by one."

    " what are the worst of them then?" Esdras wanted to hear the bad news first.

    " well, the worst of them is that at rank six, you will have to be aplete elemental being if you wanted to advance further. You would have to either pledge your self to one of the primordials or the elemental chaos itself. I can''t tell which is worse."

    Esdras was curious about the remarks from before.

    "Youpletely abandoned the mystical path which is much more suitable to your talents. I assume you did that because your life was in danger, right?"

    "¡­ what? I didn''t choose this ss. All the mages of this world are elemental mages." Esdras wasn''t sure if this was a joke or not.

    " what do you mean? This is the mainstream ss in this world? That can''t be right. Even if someone tampered with it, it''s impossible that other majors would not discover the mystical path themselves after so long¡­"

    "Are you saying that the so-called mystical path should be found in every world? Aren''t there many worlds in the universe it''s normal for some ces to be different than others. In fact, isn''t it weird that you would think it was a uniform choice?"

    Esdras so that there was a w in the logic of the pharaoh of the road with so many words in the universe. It''s unlikely that they will all have the same discoveries in the same leanings.

    " you''re saying this because you don''t understand what a mage is, a mage can''t learn any other school of magic they are restricted to the elemental magic alone, how stupid is that? You are basically giving up the versatility of a spellcaster for the sake of immediate power."

    "You are saying that¡­" Esdras didn''t know if he should continue that line of thought.

    " yes, even if I wanted to teach you other things you are now restricted even if I try to teach you another mystical ss you wont to be able to learn it."

 Chapter 103 Contemplation

    "Does that mean that I can only look for other ways to get my hands on other kinds of powers?"

    "It''s not the only way, I know of some other ways to change this kind of ss but¡­ it''s not easy and you will have to endure. But that is a talk for another time, since it could only be done at rank 5 or higher. For now just focus on what''s in front of you."

    Esdras nodded, its not even a sure thing. He wouldn''t know for certain until he tried. In any case he had his hands full with two sses already.

    "Say¡­ you''re sure you saw rank 10 beings in the future of this world?" The pharaoh asked, his tone slightly shaky.

    "Why? Are you afraid?"

    "Obviously," the pharaoh snorted, "I why wouldn''t I be afraid? It''s not every day that rank 10 beings''s interest is drawn to something."

    Esdras didn''t expect him to be so honest and that made him apprehensive. This guy was so arrogant normally and yet he couldn''t even pretend to be unfazed for the sake of his pride.

    "Does rank 10 mean that being is a god?"

    "Yes, but not necessarily. There are a few types of rank 10 beings, gods are just one of them. There are also Titans, Demons, Primordials and Fiends. There are even more unique ones that can''t be categorized."

    "How powerful are they generally? Could they destroy a continent with a punch?"

    "It depends on what size the continent is, but generally yes, very easily too. But you''re thinking about it wrong, rank 10, isn''t about pure destructive power alone, it''s more than that. Rank 10 beings can also create new races of intelligent beings, they can kill any mortal with a thought."

    "Obviously they can kill any mortal with that kind of power, that''s not impressive." Esdras rolled his eyes.

    "No, you don''t understand. I mean literally kill with a thought. Do you understand what I am talking about? Just wanting someone to die is enough."

    ? Esdras felt a chill in his entire body, his hair stood at end. He did see that winged serpent devour a sun but this is a different kind of horror, a creature that simply existed on a higher level, so high that it was beyond theprehension of mortals.

    "When you say mortal, you mean someone lower that rank 5?"

    "Yes," the pharaohughed, "at that level at least you won''t die with a thought."

    Fuck.

    "What are thinking so hard about? Don''t waste your time, even if the future you saw is real it''s very far away. By that time we would be gone from this world."

    Of course. Naturally Esdras was the only one who knew he was forced to confront them at the peak of the apocalypse because of thest divine shard.

    ****

    Esdras learned the negative energy gathering technique from the pharaoh and started using it. However it was very difficult, it took him two days to start using it.

    In the meantime, the crown prince and Esdras got much closer in this trip after he retrieved the royal relic. He even gave him permission to brows the royal library which had many details of the age of myth and the elves that he was looking for.

    "Those seers in the royal observatory kept many books and records of that time, now that they are gone you can take your time and look through them if you like."

    "I would be grateful, your highness. Stories of that age prickle my curiosity and imagination."

    Esdras at this time remembered, the prince told him that some of the seers escaped the execution order of the king.

    "I wonder what the seers did to anger the king so much, after all he was said to like them a bit." Esdras probed.

    "What did they say? It''s difficult¡­" the prince scratched his head and hesitated.

    "If it''s too hard then your highness doesn''t need to tell me."

    "No, no, it''s just that, they said many things, too many absurd things that I can''t tell which one of their ''prophesies'' was the one that did the trick. But I think it''s probably some bullshit about Seroie being destroyed, something like that."

    Seroie was the name of the capital of Elbrim which they were now heading to. If that was the case Esdras could understand why the king was angered.

    "It''s not just that, they also rambled about horrific monsters ravaging the world and the wrath of gods beyond the stars and so on and so forth. They weren''t like that before but it seems like they grew arrogant thinking that the king''s mercy was endless. I say they got what they deserved."

    "Aye"

    Esdras couldn''t help but frown. It could just be random nonsense but¡­ it could be something else too.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The crown Prince seemed dead set on dealing with the mess in Yellomane as soon as possible and he even sent a letter to one of the royal barracks to prepare for a raid on the town. He was determined to reveal everything.

    "We are the kings of dragons, how can we ignore these poisonous cowards that harm themoners and exploit the war for personal benefit? This is no different than treason!"

    Esdras could only hope the Redthorn had already escaped far away by now. He also didn''t forget to warn the prince about Ilundar.

    Although he didn''t give any clear reason as to why he was wary of that stranger the prince still took his words seriously.

    After all, now that he was a True mage things were different, not to mention that he took a leading role in bringing the item back.

    But Esdras was also aware that Ilundar probably already made his escape. He must''ve already noticed that something was wrong.

    As for the organization he was part of? Esdras wasn''t very interested but he decided to keep an eye on them. Their motives and goals were a mystery to him, it was best to not lower his guard.

    His most important goals now were to obtain as many spells as possible and then move on to a quite ce to research a way of world travel.

    Oh, he also had to take the Rite of passage in a month''s time. That almostpletely slipped his mind.

    It was just not a task he payed attention to anymore, he was already a True mage! Would he face any trouble for a test made for apprentices?

    He just needed to find a good backing in the tower, if he could be a direct apprentice of a Master mage then most of his problems could be solved.

    It''s just that he didn''t even know how to do that exactly.

    His original n was to impress everyone in the Rite of passage but would anyone be impressed that a True mage crushed a kid''s exam?

    Of course, there''s also that the fact that he now had a new identity, a ''dual elemental'' mage. This was a very rare talent, it should work well enough to attract a councilman at least.

    After that he could deal with the plot against his life by his uncle.

    Despite being busy with many other things he still had to take care of that problem, especially knowing how suspicious it was.

    That''s right, his uncle was a prime suspect but he had several clues that pointed to the fact that it wasn''t so simple.

    First, if his uncle wanted him dead he actually didn''t need to scheme with Robert. He neither needed to nor did he have the ability to.

    Because he already did and from his perspective he didn''t need to lift a finger anymore. After, sending him to the magic tower he no longer had anything to worry about.

    Because the original Esdras would have died in the Rite of passage. His uncle would then be the true heir to the title and territory without having anyone suspect him of any wrongdoing.

    However, Robert killed Esdras three months before the Rite of passage, which didn''t make any sense. Why would his uncle risk such a move right when his n was about to seed without a hitch?

    It was strange.

    It''s not like he knew Esdras would suddenly awaken his talent and soar through the sky.

    Let''s say for the sake of argument that he was tired of waiting and simply wanted it to be done with swiftly. How would he have conspired with Robert?

    Robert was a level 4 apprentice mage who was favored in the tower, why would he work with a no name viscount and risk breaking the rules of the tower to kill Esdras?

    His uncle didn''t have the influence or resources to work with Robert on something like that.

    House Varthos, may be a viscount house but it was a failing noble house that lost it''s old power and was barely hanging on by a thread. In the past they were and Earl household!

    All of these factors made it difficult for Esdras to know what exactly was going on. Clearly, he was missing a key piece of the puzzle, as long as he was in the dark he wouldn''t be able to sleep peacefully at night.

    Robert was out of the picture but his eyes underlings weren''t, Sam and Tara were still going to take the Rite of passage. He didn''t have much hope but he had to at lead to try them first.

    In the meantime, Redthorn was going to investigate the Varthos estate and slowly but surely he will find out who was after him and why.

    Two months ago, Esdras was a person who didn''t stand out at all, how could he have such enemies after him?

 Chapter 104 Seroie, The Capital Of Elbrim

    Seroie, the capital of Elbrim, one of the three great kingdoms in the Sarifal region, it was the pride and joy of all the people of Elbrim.

    Normally it would be bustling with activity and rife with trade, the smell of fresh food would attract all, the well woven fabrics and beautiful tapestries dazzling all neers.

    But, that was not the case today.

    It was a time of war and chaos, the threat of the orc invasion was already here. And so, the city was in grim silence.

    Those who could leave have already left and now only soldiers and special personnel were allowed to move in the city during certain hours.

    The gates of Seroie were all closed including the main gate, the towering wall had soldiers patrolling it at all times and the towers along the city wall were all filled with soldiers and weaponry.

    Fortunately their party was not just any group of people, they had two True mages! There was no need to even mention the crown Prince himself.

    However the instructions were clear to not reveal themselves yet the only mention that they were doing the bidding of the Octarine tower, and showed off some papers. They were already prepared by senior Ron.

    Once they were passed through the towering gates they stepped onto streets designed and built to make those walking them feel insignificant. There is a palpable sense of power and vision on disy here that he had not seen before.

    Buildings reach skyward, and if they work, he noted the intricate and preciselyte paving stones being tread under his boots, this was levels above the level of technology and architecture that he had seen in this world.

    The capital city was divided into three rings. Each ring was surrounded by a high wall. The first ring was the most popted and the biggest one without contest. This is where mostmoners live and work.

    The inner ring was for the nobles and merchants, and it was much smaller, but you know it was it any less attractive than the outer ring, hear the streets or wider in the buildings grander.

    Suddenly they heard the sound of a trumpet st and a cry of "Make way!" They quickly moved to the side. Thundering hoof beats popped up the street as a man d in blindingly polished armor rides past a great cape of deep, rich, purple streaming behind him.

    In his awake rights, more like him, but still more richly adorned, and at the more leisurely pace. Intermits trundles a gilded carriage with crests and motives, democratic what can only be high nobility.

    The escort guards vigntly shield the carriage from any approach as they move steadily along.

    Thest ring the capitol houses to important locations, perhaps the most important in the entire kingdom, the royal pce and the personal tower of the court mage.

    The pce was massive in scope and design, it was a castle in and of itself. Clearly, it was designed to stand a siege even if the entire city were to fall.

    However, they did not enter the castle in an upright manner, instead, the prince contacted some people in the Noble Circle, and they were led through a series of pathways that were more like a maze to the back door of the castle.

    After all the prince was not officially out of the kingdom, currently a body double was taking his ce in order to hide the prince''s disappearance.

    Only a handful of people knew that, in a time of war this kind of information could do severe damage to the moral of the soldiers and citizens alike.

    Of course when the prince''s identity was revealed everyone went into shock and revealed funny expressions. It couldn''t be helped, a royal identity was powerful even for mages.

    Moreover, he was the prince of a great kingdom that was directly rted to a master mage. Great kingdoms were not to be underestimated.

    However, there was a recently spreading sentiment among the mages, that is great kingdoms are not that great after all since Elbrim was struggling against mere orcs.

    Before they entered the castle, Esdras looked behind it, there was a huge, beautiful garden, tended to buy many servants and ves. But what interested him was what was beyond it it was the residence of the master mage.

    Unfortunately, he couldn''t get a good look at it because it was hidden by the woods. But maybe if he was lucky, he might be able to meet my him in the Royal Castle by chance.

    Within the castle, they were immediately assigned to their amodations, and the prince went ahead himself.

    Esdras and the rest separated, and washed up. They were also given new pairs of clothes, and they were served with great delicacies, roasted duck, and pork chops, zed with a honey onion and garlic sauce.

    They watched it all down with the finest of wines, the Frostdrop wine. After lunch, Esdras requested an extended map of the kingdom in the surrounding areas from one of the servants his request was immediately fulfilled.

    When he was alone, he finally started replying to seeing that, was always on his mind, since he learned of the movement of the orcish army and the invasion.

    After he learned of the history of the invasion and the movements of both parties, he felt that there was something wrong. It was only not when he could put everything in his mind, physically that he was able to realize what that was.<novelnext></novelnext>

    In fact, other than the victory against the Duke, the orcs did not have the same momentum. Although on the surface, it looks like they were unstoppable. There were several instances in which they defeat seemed inevitable.

    However, when that happens the armies of Elbrim would always make some kind of mistake, or there would be dy in orders, or perhaps the army would attack the wrong location.

    If something like this happened once or twice, then it could be dismissed as bad luck.

    But the fact that it kept happening was very unusual, this can''t be called a coincidence anymore It is a deliberate design.

    Would confirm this to him was not a bad feeling or a mere hunch, it was the movement of the troops after the orcs managed to breach their way through to the capital.

    The crawling path and Menhier what immediately retake I need the troops that were already organized and have already closed of the supply route of the orcs did not chase after them.

    It had to be known that with this position, Elbrim goodunch a pincer attack, targeting both the front and the back of the orc army! Even a child would understand this, however, none of that has happened yet.

    Instead, the orcs continue their march to the capital unopposed.

    The only ce is where the differences were titled what actually the sides, this prevented the orcs from deviating from the path to the capital.

    The orcs are not actually attacking the capital from this angle, it looks like they were actually driven here.

    However, one had to take a step back at this point. Why? Why would Elbrim do this? He he struggled to think of any gains that they could have by doing this.

    The damage suffered by the nation was not just so little that they could shrug it off easily. It was without mentioning the political damage and standing of the entire nation has fallen.

    If Elbrim what''s to recover from this, it would take decades, at least in his opinion.

    But assuming that they were not doing this for fun, then they must have something of equal, or even greater value to gain. Otherwise it wouldn''t make any sense.

    Esdras then remembered some of the prince''s drunken rant, about conquering the whole Sarifal region.

    He felt that the Chiid there, but he couldn''t put his hand on it. Because the more I thought about it the more that didn''t make sense. Losing this much prestige would make their goal even harder.

    Forget about that they would have to worry about maintaining their position if they survived this attack.

    He did not have much time to rest before he was summoned to meet with the sub-tower master. He was not alone of course everyone involved with that mission was called too.

    And an even more luxurious room than the ones they were housed in, they met her, face-to-face.

    She was even more in chanting in person, her mastery over the element of fire was clearly disyed in every move and gesture. Sitting on a cushion chair she smiled at them, and the bowed.

    "Rise, you kids have done a great job, I understand that this mission was not easy, but I am d that I have given you the responsibility because you proved your abilities and managed to perform adequately, considering this was your first mission."

    "Thank you, master!"

    All of them replied at once.

    " no need to be too tense, as promised that awards are yours. But I will never neglects those who perform their duties."

    "However¡­"

    "I don''t understand, something¡­ when did you two advance and be True mages? And both of you are dual elemental mages too, that is very¡­ fortunate. Something that most people could not possibly achieve in a lifetime was at youth by the two of you."

    Although the words soundedplimentary, Esdras was able to detect what was said between the lines. It was suspicion.

    "As far as I know, even with the right talent, a breakthrough still requires a decent amount of mana stones. I wonder how that happened?"

 Chapter 105 Books

    Esdras didn''t show any change in his expression, he had naturally prepared for this eventuality when he decided to breakthrough back then.

    "Yes, we were very lucky. In our most desperate hour we managed to advance. Although I am unsure about the details, is it really that hard?"

    He innocently asked, as if he did not know just how rare and difficult it was to do something like this without any help or guidance.

    "We did end up using a few mana stones, though."

    "Oh? You had mana stones on you despite being an apprentice?" Meerh asked sounding interested.

    "Well, you may not know this, but I am the heir to a noble house, a Viscount to be exact. So I was fortunate to have some on me. I was nning to use themter on after advancing as a message to trade for a magic item, but¡­"

    "Hmm, I see that makes sense, then. Which kingdom do you belong to?"

    "The Kazzat kingdom."

    "Very good, it''s from Yorick''s side then? It''s been doing well recently."

    The Yorick she mentioned was a councilman, he was the sub-tower master of the tower of secrets and the Kazzat kingdom was under his jurisdiction.

    "I am very d to see the new generation having two capable youngsters like you two, of course the others have also proven themselves enough. The crimson tower is lucky this time around."

    ''Hm?!''

    Esdras frowned, she didn''t say the Octarine tower but the crimson tower? She was trying to rope them in to her faction without giving them the chance to refuse.

    It was after passing the Rite of passage that mages-to-be went on to different ways ording to the invitations or their own interests.

    The more talented, the more choice you had. For especially talented individuals like the newly rising Edwinn Ademar, it was said that the different factions almost went into war to have him.

    Esdras and Celine were bound to have the simr treatment at least, so the options they had were many.

    There was a good reason why Esdras didn''t want to join the crimson faction; it was weak.

    It was simple, the Master magedy Sera who was supposed to preside over the crimson tower was missing for thest forty years. She happened to be Meerh''s master.

    Of course, she was alive as the Octarine tower had ways to confirm that but she was missing without any contact at all.

    Master mages had long lifespans and were known to go into seclusion to meditate and conduct long-term experiments but there was still regr contact.

    They needed materials and food and such, although it''s called ''seclusion'' it''s not to the point ofpletely cutting off contact.

    Moreover no one knew where she was, she was missing, Meerh and some of her fellow disciples were searching for her everywhere.

    Over time the fact that the central figure along with some of the disciples going far away to look for her made the crimson faction lose a great amount of power and influence within the Octarine tower.

    Esdras would prefer to join one of the other towers for that reason. He had to find ces better suited to help him not just the other way around. One could even say joining the crimson tower might hold him back.

    Obviously, the crimson tower still held sway and no one would dare to go too far, after all, Sera was still alive, so it was holding on fine, especially thanks to Meerh taking charge when most of her fellow apprentices were searching of her master.

    Nheless, this remains uncertain, after all, maybe the crimson tower will offer better conditions than the other towers for that exact reason.

    So, he was not in a hurry to choose but Meerh seemed in a hurry to rope him in.

    "Well¡­ it''s too early to say¡­"

    "Don''t rush to refuse, as long as you join us, you will get the best treatment possible."

    She didn''t get the hint!

    "Um, actually I already promised to join the brown tower!"

    Suddenly Celine intervened and shouted, then she realized her outburst was rude and bowed quickly.

    "It''s fine, it''s fine."

    Unexpectedly the Great mage waved her hand in disinterest, "they already talked to me about it, it''s done already. Rather¡­ I''m more interested in him."

    Esdras, did remember that Celine once told him that she was recruited by the brown tower. He wasn''t sure how that was going to work yet.

    Saying that she smiled slightly and her eyes fixed on him, she giggled, "think about it, I can get you ess to whatever position you want, within reason of course but you will get promoted in a few years, if you do well I might think about taking you as my apprentice."

    Esdras looked excited and moved on the outside but in his mind he cursed her a hundred times! She was taking a higher position as if he was the one who needed her, it''s the other way around!

    Esdras knew his own worth, he was not just a dual elemental mage, he had all four elements! And the divine shard on top of that. The only person he would take as master was a Mater mage if not then he could just stay by himself.

    He was doing fine already.

    Esdras and the rest were then dismissed and then they joined up in his room.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Wow, did you see how beautiful she was? I thought I was meeting a goddess for real."

    David and Esdras snickered with evil grins, Celine snorted and rolled her eyes.

    "That''s because she''s a Great mage, her looks were enhanced further after she advanced. I bet she wouldn''t look as good without her magic."

    "I agree, I think you will look even better than her." Esdras quickly changed sides but¡­

    He was toote! And he chose the wrong words!

    "¡­ so, you think she''s better than me?"

    Suddenly the atmosphere turned cold.

    ''That''s not what I meant!''

    "W-what? I meant that you are already better than her, but you will look even better when you advance again¡­"

    A nock on the door alerted them.

    "Hey, can Ie in?" It was the prince.

    Esdras hurriedly opened the door and the prince entered, he was in a fresh white military outfit, lined with golden threads and the back had the silhouette of the g of Elbrim.

    A warrior riding a dragon.

    "Here you are, did you rest enough?"

    "Not entirely, but it has been much better than the wilderness."

    "Good, good. I just came to give you these passes for the library, any time you want to go, you don''t have to worry about and procedures. You can use them for as long as you stay here."

    The prince handed them several coins, they were not real coins but they were engraved with the word ''library''.

    The prince left.

    "Hey, David did you eat all the honey cakes I sent you?" Esdras asked.

    "I just ate one of them, five is too much don''t you think? Why did you do that anyway? It''s like you to nice for no reason." David was very rude and didn''t understand his good intentions.

    "Just one? I want you to eat so you can grow fat and save your life! You have to get fat soon or it might be toote for you."

    "What''s wrong with you? Why would I want to be fat?"

    "Tsk, if you want to survive you have to be my fatedic friend or you won''t make it!"

    "Why are you obsessed with making me fat? If you want a fat friend just look for one!"

    "You don''t know anything! What''s wrong with being fat? You will make it to the end if you''re fat, trust me!"

    "I will go to sleep¡­"

    Esdras shook his head at this, how could his hard work be so easily neglected?

    Although everyone is as exhausted inclined Esdras he still went to the library and borrowed three books. These books documented many events in the age of myth.

    One of them, especially talked about the Elven culture and the differences between them and the rest of the races.

    Thest book was the smallest, and had the vaguest information, it talked about Elven magic.

    Many of the spells and general knowledge of magic today was derived from elven magic. However, the immortal empire which was supposed to have inherited the most a lot of knowledge regarding the Elven magic, had scarce knowledge of it.

    And even that was lost after the destruction of the fall of the empire, during that time, an unbelievable struggle for power ensued, and that led to the eventual destruction of the empire.

    Whatever information they had about, the elves was buried in an age of welfare at civil strife eventually that civilization was destroyed in a slow and agonizing manner.

    When things stabilized atst it was already toote almost everything from that era was lost.

    Of course,rge scale movements to on earth, the lost arts startedter on, but the findings were always very rare and often iprehensible, besides being costly.

    This made it that it became unpopr. After all who had that much money to spend on a project that''s so uncertain?

    However, from time to time these ruins produced awesome results having Elven items buried there, so they were still very attractive to mages.

    The Elven, culture of the time was very distorted, however, what was certain was that the elves used a different kind of magic. How different? It was hard to tell.

    Several dayster, Esdras discovered a very interesting passage within one of these books.

 Chapter 106 Full

    Esdras read on the elves as much as he could for the entire night and only had 3 hours of sleep. He was slightly annoyed but it didn''t bother him much.

    This is thanks to his enhanced body. In fact he was aware that he had a supernatural physical body at the moment, this wasn''t just about strength or speed.

    He could withstand cold and heat that mortals could not. He had a greater resistance to poison and could go on longer without food and water.

    He was unsure exactly as to what extent.

    What he learned about the elves¡­ was not much. No, honestly it was nothing at all.

    It was disappointing but not surprising. How could he find anything concrete about a civilization that existed four thousand years ago?

    So what he found was just vague and spection at most.

    But he didn''tin. Although Elbrim was strong, in the end it was just a human kingdom that was a tribe of savages three hundred years ago.

    But, the Octarine tower wasn''t.

    It was over a thousand years old, obviously they must have much more urate information.

    However, he still gained something, or at least it was an inkling of something.

    It was said that the elves imed to have descended from heaven and that they were all gods sent here to rule and govern all the mortal races and the world as a whole.

    This was of course ridiculed by all historians and schrs, it wasbeled as an arrogant lie used by the elves to justify their tyranny.

    There was no way that im was true.

    Esdras didn''t believe that im of course, but he was struck with a spection. What if the elves were actually, not natives to this world?

    It would exin why the elves were so advanced as a civilization while the rest of the world was in its infancy. It would also exin why they used a different magic system.

    If Esdras didn''t know that the elves were going to show upter on, he wouldn''t have thought of this possibility so easily.

    Because it would exin how they escaped extermination and how they prospered enough to raise armies for revenge.

    Despite that, he really didn''t have any evidence. It was just hope¡­

    That''s right, hope. Because if the elves really came from another world then that means they had that technology!

    A method that allowed them to travel between worlds, something he was in desperate need for.

    This was not just a random thought, actually when he thought about it, the ancient elven civilization was the most likely to have what he wanted.

    It means that he had a direction to look into.

    It wasn''t going to be easy at all even then, but, having a direction was better than wildly searching recklessly.

    ****

    The next day, Esdras and the others had the prince along with his younger siblings show them around the royal castle.

    The saw many royal treasures and beautiful artwork, paintings made by the greats of this field throughout history.

    They went to the central gardens where they met with some of the royal harem and princesses. They even had a farm within the castle grounds that mainly produced grain.

    After lunch the prince wanted to talk to him alone. They went to a room that had ss disys within there were many more treasures, these were of a more magical nature.

    Titranium flowers were frozen solid. The scales of a Behir. The skull of Cave carver, which was said to bring good luck.

    While Esdras was admiring these things, the prince coughed to get his attention.

    pA(nD)A no ve1 "Esdras, do you know why we call our selves the kings of dragons?"

    "¡­"

    Esdras chose to remain silent because he didn''t know the answer was. However, it looked like the prince wasn''t looking for answers from him either.

    "As everyone knows, dragons are not real, their fictional creatures imagined by the despicable elves in ages past. Not real. And yet their existence is so fascinating that it managed to persist within our world even after so long. What gives such a creature such staying power?"

    Esdras had a slight awkward look on his face because he knew for a fact dragons do exist, just not in this world. Not yet anyway.

    The prince who didn''t know that continued talking.please visit

    "I think, it''s because dragons symbolize the true spirit of a ruler, a lord that is both feared and respected, a majestic creature that we aspire to imitate. That is what makes this creature a force to be reckoned with. Even if it wasn''t real. So, then who are we? The kings of dragons!"

    Esdras nodded in understanding, he was able to infer what the prince didn''t say. If the dragons were so great then what about them? They who imed to rule over such great beings?

    "I heard some ancestors of yours went looking for dragons everywhere. Some legends say they found one or two."

    The prince shook his head disapprovingly, "they did search but they just found themselves in the belly of a wyvern or a drake. No one wishes that dragons are real more than us. If they were real and we were able to subjugate one then¡­"

    "Well, let''s move on, I wanted to give this to you."

    It was a military badge with the rank ofmander, it was golden and inscribed with the g of Ebrim. There were more words inside the inner ring of the badge:mander of Keep Prios.

    "What is this¡­ you''re making me amander?" Esdras was confused.

    "Hahaha, what''s with that reaction? Yes, amander. Keep Prios is a military base in Kazzat, as I recall you told me you''re territory is quite close to the Keep."

    Esdras''s eyes shed.

    "It''s not a big deal, those guys arezy and didn''t have amander in a long time. Yesterday I thought about you and since it will be more convenient for you due to proximity, I hope you will put them to¡­ good use."

    Esdras told the prince about his problems back when they were on the road but he didn''t expect that the prince would keep it in mind and reward him in such a way.

    It was not as easy as one would think for Esdras to confront his uncle and get hisnd and title. In theory it was indeed easy, but in truth it was far from it.

    His uncle had basically taken control of the territory for years at this point while Esdras waspletely unknown to his subjects. He was just a child when they first knew him.

    Even if he took everything by force he wouldn''t be able to guarantee the loyalty of the soldiers and servants and ves that take care of the day to day functions of the territory.

    These people were absolutely vital to administer the territory. If he went on a violent rampage randomly, he would incurre their resentment.

    They may not be able to hurt him physically, or attacked him, but they could easily mess up on purpose, cause reversible chaos within the territory.

    This was not a some TV show where he could juste in randomly, and kick the old master and rece him easily. Reality does not work like that.

    This is also why he sent the goblin Redthorn to spy on the territory, because he needed information before he could act.

    Having a military base under his control, will mean that he will have his own men within the territory, which will make taking over much easier.

    With the help of these soldiers, he could take his time in recing the old administration, and install people loyal to him.

    He could also use the fact that he had an alliance, with the crowned prince of a great kingdom to his advantage, very easily to gain support of the royal family in Kazzat and the surrounding nobles.

    That way he could dispose of his uncle in the most clean manner without ruining his image, or disturbing the operations of the territory.

    Of course, if push came to shove, he did not mind using force and violence to get what he wanted. At the cost of hurting the ie from the territory for a few years but he was willing to put up with such a price.

    "You are too generous your highness!" Esdras sincerely thanked the prince. This was a big help to him.

    "What''s this? I''m unhappy," the prince shook his head, "what is the need for thanks between friends? Hahhahaha!"

    "Right, right, it''s my bad!"

    Esdrasughed along with the prince.

    The prince was not stupid, he was able to see that Esdras was special, he was a dual elemental mage at such a young age!

    As if that was not enough, he also disyed hispetence bypleting such a difficult mission when he was so young, he also had the qualities of a young leader.

    He was both capable and talented.

    There was no way the prince would throw away the chance to befriend such a person before he rose to prominence. Having more friends was always better than having less.

    So what if it is three hundred men? This was to be just the beginning of the friendship. If Esdras proved himself more in the future giving him a thousand men wouldn''t be enough.

    "The king was very enthusiastic when I told him about our adventure, he told me to thank you all and provide you with any confort as long as you are staying here. Thank you again for retrieving that item."

    "Speaking of which do you mind telling me what it was?"

    "The Crown of The Ruler"

 Chapter 107 Full

    "The Crown of the ruler¡­" Esdras repeated out of surprise.

    "Yes, the one and only." The Prince seriously nodded.

    "What kind ofme name is that?" Esdras suddenly asked.

    "What? What are you¡ª"

    "I mean, why not call something else, how about the crown of kings? Now that sounds much better don''t you think?"

    "Eh¡­ well, I never really thought about it all that much, but traditionally it''s a¡­ good name¡­"

    "If it''s a good name why are you looking away!"

    "It''s not something that I have the ability to change in the first ce! Anyway that''s not the point why aren''t you surprised?!"

    "I was surprised but that name, it kind of took me out of it¡­"

    The Crown of the ruler, although it sounded awkward, this was no simple royal relic.

    It was shrouded in mystery as it only became publicly know was around two hundred years ago. It was only worn by the kings of Elbrim during their coronation.

    And then it would be taken off.

    Except for one time.

    It was when Master mage Ashran was away on an infamous exploration to an ancient imperial burial ground that the forces of the coast formed a coalition army and made a surprise attack on Elbrim.

    Elbrim back then was not as great as it was now so that kind of attack decimated them. In two months the kingdom was on the brink of copse, moral was at an all time low.

    The biggest problem was the army of Elbrim which was pit against seven times their number. It was the end of a kingdom.

    But, at thest second the king of Elbrim at the time appeared wearing the crown.

    And then something happened to those soldiers, they regained the spirit they lost and each one fought with the might of a thousand.

    Finally the armies of the coalition copsed in fear of the unstoppable Elbrim army that didn''t seem to care for losing limbs and endless stamina.

    It was an oundish story but there was no one disputing it.

    In short that crown possessed the power to turn the tide in a desperate situation. It was an invaluable item. Especially, if the story was true then it meant that a normal man could use it which was shocking.

    In most cases, to use a magic item one needs to supply it with mana.

    "I didn''t expect you to frankly tell me so easily."

    "It''s already safely guarded in the castle, it''s not in danger, so why would I hide it from you. Besides if you were greedy you would have taken it back then, right?"

    "True." Esdras nodded.

    "I''m going to take a royal knight division to subdue Baron Forthart in a few days."

    The prince was not going to forget about his suffering in that ce, his leg was still notpletely healed from that bear trap.

    "Will it be alright? I mean the capital will be under siege soon."

    "It''s fine."

    Esdras narrowed his eyes but didn''t ask anymore. If the prince wanted to borate he would have.

    Esdras learnedter on that Calvin was recruited into the prince''s royal guard thanks to his talents and will be joining the prince to subjugate the rouge Baron.

    He returned to quarters and after washing up he sat down cross-legged on the expensive carpet.

    Soon he could feel a terrible energy, in his perception he saw it as a dark ink-like substance that was slowlying in contact with his spirit body.

    This was the negative energy gathering technique which he started practicing five days ago. Naturally he wasn''t trying to absorb it as he was not in that stage yet, he was just trying to get used to it.

    The negative energy gathering technique had several levels of progress:

    1) Maintenance

    2) Object infusion

    3) Negative energy absorption

    4) infuse living beings

    5) gaining abilities like telekinesis and illusion casting

    He also remembered the Pharaoh telling him he could even possess others atter levels.please visit

    The first step which he was till stuck at was to maintain his spiritual energy outside of his physical body. This turned out to be much harder than he expected.

    The moment spiritual energy came out, it would dissipate almost immediately. Despite his strong spiritual energy it was like it broke down.

    Fortunately, he managed to progress somewhat since then.

    He was able to maintain it for two minutes before it dissipated after five days of practice. When he could maintain it for five minutes he would have the minimum requirement to move on to the next level.

    He wasn''t in a hurry and his progress was steady, that was good enough.

    To his this was a very important skill because it didn''t rely on mana.

    This is why Esdras payed it such attention, he had a feeling that these kinds of techniques were going to be extremely important to him in the future.

    Another day passed peacefully, on this new day Esdras and the others were ordered to write reports on their mission.

    They were also asked to write down any position they wanted to get after passing the Rite of passage and bing True mages.

    It''s not like they were going to get whatever position they wanted but they would be ced in the starting ce so they could work their way up to that position.

    There were many responsibilities and positions within the Octarine tower. Including record keepers, guardians and explorers. There was also a fee dedicated protection and suppression troops.

    In these fields there were different ranks obviously. The mages were paid monthly with mana stones and merit points.

    Esdras wanted to be an explorer as they took on the most generous missions in terms of pay. They also had more freedom and less restrictions. Obviously this meant he coulde into contact with more monsters and farm more EXP.

    But, he couldn''t go for that now. He needed to research the elves and work on finding a way for world-travel.

    These things could require anything out of him, research meant staying in one ce for a long time. And looking around for an ancient civilizations technology meant the opposite.

    This was an unexpected problem that he didn''t think about in depth before now.

    As for the Rite of passage? That was something he no longer had to think about.

    It was a test for apprentices, of course, because of the traditions of the rules of the tower he still had to go through with it , even though he was already a true mage.

    It was not a threat to him anymore. He was just going along with the motions.

    Now that he thought about it, it was something that worried him not long ago. But right now the biggest problem he had with the right of passage was how long he had to wait for it.

    Six weeks.

    That was a great amount of time what you was not going to use properly because of the stupid Rite of passage.

    The biggest disappointment was that he was not allowed to learn any spells until he passed. Despite already being a True mage! In his opinion, these rules were extremely stupid, but what could he do about it?

    He had to grit his teeth and endure.

    Back on Earth when he was just a student studying in school they taught them about the world before the second great economic copse in 2023.

    Apparently at that time before even the third world war there were many stupid rules and regtions like these. He was too young to remember what exactly it was like.

    But his father made sure to lecture him about it all the time¡­

    Although the war was terrible, nothing changed for his family, except that they get even more power. After all he was not from an ordinary family.

    That''s what I''ve lost or who won it didn''t matter, it was families like theirs that were the ultimate winners.

    Esdras decided to stop reminiscing about Earth and think about his current situation. There was actually another job that he was interested in; alchemy.

    However, the job was extremely difficult to get his hands on. It was strictly guarded by the tower after all the alchemist what are the only source of mana potions. Even bing an assistant, would need him to prove himself over many years.

    However, it was a very attractive position for him. It was an elite position, and it provided him with many resources and the great standing within the tower.

    Besides, we may be able to figure out how to brew his own health and stamina potions along with mana potions of course.

    Ultimately, this was not an easy decision. He knew that they were going to make some exceptions for him after knowing his talent but he did not know how far he could push it.

    Actually, he did not want to work on world-travel anywhere near the head quarters let alone inside it.

    This kind of research was extremely dangerous because of its value if someone were to discover it when he had yet to achieve his full growth potential his life could very well be in danger.

    This is why he was thinking of a way tobine his status as a lord of a territory in Kazzat and a job in the tower that I allowed him to stay in there. So that he couldplete his research with a peace of mind.

    As he thought, making a decision so soon was too difficult and it was unnecessary. In any case. He did not need to decide on something so soon. He still had a lot of time to think about it.

    ****

    WARNING!! Don''t unlock the privilege chapters! As they are not real yet. When they are ready I will delete this warning!

 Chapter 108 Departure

    The chilly morning air burned his lungs. The sun had just risen above the nation of Elbrim, casting rays of light upon thend, illuminating the courtyard below, creating a series of brilliant colors that sshed across the sky with the kind of vibrant artistry that master painters have spent centuries trying to capture--pinks, reds and purples, all blended together in a beautifulbination of zest and vitality.

    The innumerable des of grass that made up the courtyard were slick with morning dew, producing a slippery coat that would cause serious injury to anyone who was not mindful of where they stepped.

    Each de glistened with a gentle luster in the morning sun, sparkling with a pale gleam of crystalline droplets. Many a servant had found themselves falling on their backside-or their face-from having not been cautious enough when they walked through the grass covered courtyard on their way to perform their chores.

    Esdras ignored the wondrous scene-as well as the potentially omnipresent danger that was always lingered in his mind and continued to move in a never ending dance across the grassy courtyard.

    He''d beening out to this ce in the past few days since theiring, he found the practice effective against any stress that might have existed, as it was negated by ease of practice.

    He had simply been doing this for so long, that he was now able to amodate for the slippery surface on a subconscious level. It was a work in progress to get his footing and body movements in sync.

    Quick movements. Thrust. Sidestep. Take two steps in. Parry. sh. Move faster.

    Each time Esdras attacked, sweat flew off his body in rivulets that soared through the air and sshed against the ground around him. His messy blond hair whipped about his face in a furious frenzy as he spun about in a dizzying disy of sword attackbinations.

    His sword arm was a mere blur as he shed and lunged and cut and sliced. Esdras''s luminescent presence reflected off his de, mere shes of light that confounded one''s sense of sight.

    Faster. He needed to be faster.

    Vibrant blue eyes narrowed as he increased the intensity of his attacks to boost their speed, his muscles visibly bunching as they strained and quaked under the weight of his de. The sword in his hand was heavy, like a boulder that had beenpressed into sword form.

    It was much heavier than his usual weapon of choice. But then, that was the whole point, wasn''t it? Strength.

    In order to fully utilize his strength properly, he needed to get more efficient; he was plenty strong enough that his normal weapon felt like a feather in his hand. But hecked technique, that was his shorting.

    That was why he used his [Malleable slime] to consume many weapons since they got here. He didn''t forget about that ability but he didn''t find any magical metals so far.

    Fortunately, he discovered that the slime could grow heavies and more durable even if it just consumedmon metals. That was already a great advantage.

    He did find a useless piece of metal that could only be used as a paper weight back when he just stumbled into the dungeon for the first time. And he ordered the slime to devour it but the results were... great!

    The slime failed to devour it which means that it was very likely something that even better that he first thought!

    By the time he was finished, his arms felt like they were weighed down by lead, and his body was covered in a slick sheen of sweat. The clothing he''d chosen to wear, a sleeveless white shirt and ck pants, clung to his skin, sticky and wet and altogether ufortable.

    He paid no heed to something so trivial, however, as he''d gotten a good workout in; thus he was satisfied.

    Picking up the towel he''d let sit across the ssless granite windowsill that made a ring around the courtyard, Esdras wiped some of the sweat from his face.

    He then decided to wipe off the sweat from his underarms, too. After that, he proceeded to enter therge structure surrounding him on all sides.

    Their stay in Seroie was at an end. They were going to leave for the Headquarters of the Octarine tower on this day. The city of Leo Dara.

    After breakfast everyone was ready. They were waiting for the sub-tower master, Meerh baster. She wasing back with them as apparently her job here was done.

    Honestly this was a little troubling to Esdras as she continued her advances towards him this whole time, she was not being subtle at all.

    Unfortunately the advances were not erotic in nature, she wanted to join the crimson tower no matter what!

    Esdras was concerned more with looking for a suitable position first and then deciding on which faction he wanted.

    Naturally, there were some jobs that were exclusive to certain factions, so it was an important choice.

    "What do you suppose we''re doing here?" Daylen asked out loud. It was a question that was not directed to anyone in particr.

    "Beats me. I guess for the sub-tower master to get ready?" Esdras answered anyway.

    "Nah, I don''t think we''re going back the way we came." David shook his head.

    "Hm, what does that mean?"

    They were told to prepare their luggage and wait in one of the courtyards. This was a strange request since no one knew what was going on.

    Shouldn''t they be making their way out of the city?

    Suddenly Esdras felt something in the surroundings, it was a huge pressure that could only be felt by a mighty creature. It was powerful and brutal, not as strong as the Pharaoh when he awakened but close.

    Esdras looked around only to see nothing, his senses were screaming at him and yet he couldn''t tell where it was or where to go. There other still didn''t know something was wrong.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But, before he could warn them he heard a screech and then a huge creature plopped down in the middle of the yard.

    It had a sinuous, snake-like body with a long neck and tail. Four-feathered wings extended from its blue scaly body. Tufts of yellow feathers emerged at the base of the neck and the tail.

    The head possessed a ck toothed beak and four eyes, one pair was above the beak and the other below it. It was around twenty meters long.

    [Arrowhawk (Adult)]

    Rank: 3

    Level: 10

    - Mind link Lv.6

    - Airmand Lv. 7

    - Wind canon Lv.8

    - Gale cutter Lv.7

    - Air burst Lv. 9

    - Lighting bolt Lv.2

    Esdras was not panicked anymore as he noticed a small wooden house on the back of the Arrowhawk. While almost everyone was still in shock, several servants moved about.

    They brought severaldders and started moving their luggage on top of the monster, and then calmly open the door to the wooden house.

    From there, an enchanting woman walked out, she was the sub tower master Meerh. As expected, she called out to them while they were busy staring in a daze.

    "Are you guys going to spend the rest of the day gawking or when you get a move on?"

    Everyone mustard their courage and started climbing atop the monster while still feeling jittery inside. Esdras himself was among them perhaps even more than them, because he knew just how ridiculous this creature was.

    Moreover it had a lighting type attack? That was extremely dangerous and intriguing.

    The house was not some shabby ce either, it was mode like a high ss cabin and fully furnished with the most beautiful furniture no less impressive than the royal castle itself.

    And it was used very well, there were even some servants and two cooks. Food and water was in a storage room in the back.

    But to be honest, Esdras thought that it didn''t make sense, especially if this monster flew at high speeds. The ce would be messed up.

    Also how is this thing going to take off here? The courtyard was big but it wasn''t enough to allow the bird to gain speed to take off properly. On Earth this wouldn''t make any sense.

    But this was not Earth.

    After the preparations were done they waved back at the prince and Calvin was also there to send them off.

    The bird didn''t need to run to fly it simply started levitating like a helicopter or a drone. When it was high enough the air twisted around the bird and it started gliding in the air.

    Soon with all four wings pping the speed increased and doubled in a matter of minutes. Esdras andpany got off their seats and watched as everything blurred below them in wonder.

    "This is my master''s familiar."

    Meerh said, appearing behind them when they were too busy stating at the clouds. The master she referred to was probably the missing master mage Sera.

    "How... why don''t we feel any wind pressure?" Esdras couldn''t help himself and asked.

    "Hm, oh? I didn''t think you would notice so quickly. This because of the Arrowhawk''s natural abilities, it can iste wind pressure from itself which allows it to reach incredible speeds with absolutely stability."

    "Wow, it''s a superior creature... indeed only a Mater mage could have something like this."

    David and everyone else listeria to their conversation and nodded in understanding.

    "No, not true." Meerh shook her head, "not just any Master can tame this creature. Maybe they could kill it but tame it? Not so easy. The first problem is to actually find one, they''re that rare."

 Chapter 109 Ard Geath, The Octarine Tower

    Ard Geath was the central city of the entire Sarifal region, all three great kingdoms paid attention to the happenings within the city.

    This is not because the city was built in a strategic position nor did it have a specialty product produced here, it was for one reason only; because the headquarters of the Octarine tower was built here.

    It was said to be the oldest settlement within the region, which was a testament to just how resilient and powerful his existence was thanks to the tower.

    After the fall of the empire and the subsequent destruction in the Civil Wars left thend scarred whatever remained of survivors moved onto the areas here, south.

    And right now above the city, a huge monstrous bird, carrying a building on its back, was flying through the air with great speeds. Streaks of blue and yellow sh through the sky, and reflected the resplendent rays of the sun upon thend.

    Esdras andpany spent three days and two nights on the road they would have gotten here even faster if they didn''t take it a few hours in the night for the bird to rest.

    Name: Meerh baster

    Race: Human

    Rank: 3

    sses: Great fire mage(rank 3) Lv.2

    Physique: 3 (+2)

    Agility: 4 (+2)

    Intelligence: 21

    Spirituality: 28

    Mana: 30

    Trait:

    - Ember of agony: 20% digestion

    - Advanced element, fire progression: Scorching fire

    Spells: ???

    Esdras checked out Meerh''s stats and was absolutely blown away by several things, the ridiculous numbers were not the only reason.

    Her physique and agility were higher than expected and clearly boosted by magic items. After all, how can great mages not understand their weaknesses?

    It was obvious that they would look for ways to surpass that weakness. It was even more likely considering their long lives and the influence provided by their positions and standing.

    Moreover, wasn''t it said that senior Ron had mana close to that of a Great mage? That was clearly not the case. That was not unexpected, the rumors were only circted by those who didn''t truly know Great mages.

    Besides, it was true that he had an abnormal amount for a True mage, it was not entirely wrong to make that spection.

    There was also another point, Meerh''s mana and level didn''t make sense. In the first ce she was supposed to be at peak Great mage but she was only level 2 not 4.

    Esdras didn''t know the normal amount of mana for a Great mage to make aparison yet but that was just a ridiculous number for her level.

    Everyone thought that she was at peak great mage, that was not a coincidence. What did that mean? That she had a high enoughbat power to convince everyone.

    That was not an easy feat to pull off, the higher the realm the greater the difference in each level. This might have to do with her two traits but he wasn''t sure.

    The Octarine tower''s headquarters was built on Venere Hill in the Mystical district of the city. Ard Geath was even bigger and grander than Seroie but he couldn''t get a good look at it before the Arrowhawk wheezed past most of it to the tower.

    The tower was not just a singr tower, it was the whole hill and the term also referred to the various buildings on it, mainly the central tower that... towered over everything in the city.

    But that was not a ce for apprentices like themselves.

    The apprentices stayed in a separate building that was like an academy and beneath it was their lodging. There were also training grounds and servants'' quarts in that area. It was a wholepound on its own.

    The Arrowhawknded in a specifding area behind the tower, there he could see several stables and a host of Pegasus flying about. There were also some giant crows and all of them made way in hast long before they saw the giant bird approaching.

    They were weed by several mages in robes of crimson and ck that immediately bowed to the sub-tower master in unison.

    "Wee back, master!"

    Esdras and the others were guided back to their old quarters under some curious gazes.

    The lodging area of the apprentices was made up of several buildings each three stories high but their apartments were nothing to scoff at. Each one was big andposed of a bedroom, a living room and a bathroom.

    ves were assigned to clean the apartments once a week and the food was served in a separate cafeteria in the academy building.

    The crimson tower section was almost lifeless because of the staggering number of casualties in fort Kuzdin, the attack of the warlocks still cast a depressing shadow over the ce.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Of course, the truth was that Esdras killed more of his fellow apprentices than the warlocks this time around but... no one needed to know that.

    Esdras was not troubled by that in the least, who told them to throw their lives away like that? As far as he was concerned it was no different than suicide so why feel bad about it?

    His apartment was cleaned up and so he just took a hot bath and headed to the cafeteria for some food. On the way he knocked on David''s ce and together with Celine, they made their way over.

    However, there was an incident happening in the cafeteria currently. As soon as they approached they could hear themotion.

    Sam, who was once Robert''s right-hand man was now beating another ssmate to a pulp.

    Chairs were knocked down and tables pushed aside, some of the apprentices were cheering and others were roaring.

    "I can''t believe this! I bet a gold mark on this asshole, fuck!"

    "Hah hah! No one forced you to do that! You reap what you sow."

    "He looked big so I thought he would be different from the others..."

    Esdras frowned at this scene, he had never seen the apprentices do something like this before.

    "Does this bother you?"

    It was Daylen who approached and then asked.

    "Not really."

    Esdras didn''t interfere, he just found an empty table and called the servants over to begin serving lunch. The items on the menu really shocked him.

    First was the Anishani and white wine, everyone was offered just one shot but it was more than enough. It was imbibed before the meal to stimte their appetite.

    Next were the Figs stuffed with goat cheese, they were arranged stem-end down atop freshly cut basil leaves. Sliced and syed to resemble blooming flowers, and then stuffed with a tangy and nutty goat''s cheese before being drizzled with apricot honey.

    The main dish was Quail egg-stuffed quail. This dish was traditionally stuffed with figs or dates but this version was a step above that.

    The eggs used for stuffing were soft-boiled, wrapped in sausage, coated in breadcrumbs, and finally deep-fried in oil.

    The Octarine tower was not a cheap ce, the apprentices enjoyed rareforts as is but this was on a different level. Even well off nobles wouldn''t sever this to hundreds of people without batting an eyelid.

    "Isn''t this strange?" Esdras wondered.

    "I know why." Daylen said and paused so that everyone was looking at him, "it''s because the Rite of passage was moved up, it''s in two weeks."

    "What does this have to do with anything?" Celine asked.

    "See that fight?" Daylen pointed at the fighting pair, "no one is going to stop them, the mages are allowing this."

    "You''re saying that and the food has to do with the Rite of passage?" Esdras asked.

    "Exactly, in this atmosphere where survival is not clear, the apprentices are under immense pressure. Even if the mages put a stop to the gambling and fighting they will find another way. The food is like a goodwill thing."

    "Hmm, interesting." This meant that they had a little bit of leeway since the mages were turning a blind eye in this period.

    As for the rite? He wasn''t concerned at all, rather he was happy to get it over quickly.

    "You seem to have caught on quickly." David remarked at Daylen.

    "Ah, well, I have a few friends here and there..."

    Esdras finished his meal and left with the others, while leaving he felt a pair of eyes following his every move. He knew who this was, Tara.

    He noticed her as soon as he came in but ignored her on purpose. He still didn''t forget her scheming with Robert to kill him and he certainly wasn''t going to let her or Robert go.

    She was an invaluable source of information that he was going to extract very soon. In the rite of passage.

    In his room, Esdras sat down and suddenly pointed with his hand at a piece of paper. Sweat rolled down his forehead and trickled down his face but his focus waspletely on that paper.

    After two minutes nothing happened but he lower his hand and breathed slowly. He wiped his sweat and started writing something on that paper.

    Just now he was practicing the second level of the negative energy gathering technique, infusion. He was almost ready to move on to the next level but the amount of negative energy he had was pitiful.

    The most frustrating part was that this skill didn''t appear in the system for some reason. Meaning that he couldn''t use EXP to boost his progress.

    The best method to increase the amount of negative energy is to take it from others ording to the Pharaoh. However, he had to be in close proximity to the targets to do so.

    He had to think of a way.

 Chapter 110 Tara

    Esdras was writing the report about the mission which was a boring affair in his opinion there was no need for all of them to write such a report wasn''t one or two of them enough already?

    But regtions were often like this, he understood that very well, but why did it have to be four thousand words at least? Did he have to write a nove or something? Unfortunately, he couldn''t protest much he just had to do it no matter what.

    He has been working on it for the past few days and making small progress here and there. The painful part is the rest of the team were already done. Somehow it''s made him feel left out a little bit.

    When did they be such honor students?

    in truth he actually could have finished much earlier, but he was simply too focused on training and didn''t have any time to do it. But he got a warning from Meerh before theynded so he had to grit his teeth and do it regardless.

    And yet, because it was such a boring task and one he didn''t actually want to do he was barely able to write a thousand words in hours.

    Damn it.

    He should have copied David''s report before he submitted it. Night feel and his stomach growled so he decided to take a break to get some of that high ss food before calling it a night.

    ****

    In a another apartment in the same section, several people that Esdras would have recognized were meeting. Sam and Tara were the most notable figures, the rest were all Robert''s henchmen.

    "This bastard actually made it back?" Sam snickered like a rat, "perfect! That way we can torture him in the rite of passage this time around and then kill him when we''re done."

    The others allughed along but then someone asked.

    "But¡­ didn''t they say that he became a level 4 apprentice back in Kuzdin and he was even rewarded by senior Ron?"

    Sam scowled, "do you honestly believe that bullshit? I don''t know how that bastard spread such nonsense but I''m even more baffled by you guys believe this?"

    "It''s¡­ no, we don''t but¡­"

    The underlings tried to exin but he was suddenly smacked down.

    "Shut up! Enough of this crap." Sam wasn''t done and he was about toy down a beating on the poor bastard when the other underlings blocked him.

    "Sam, calm down. He didn''t mean it like that. More importantly we have to think about the rite, don''t you think so?"

    "You¡­"

    Sam had a vein pop up on his big forehead, he wanted tosh out he knew these trash were acting like this toward him because he wasn''t Robert.

    He didn''t need Robert, he was the leader now! They showed all bow down to him! He jumped¡­

    "Stop!"

    Suddenly Tara shouted and everyone stopped what they were doing.

    "Enough of this nonsense. Is this the time to be fighting amongst ourselves?"

    Hearings her words everyone began to calm down, only Sam didn''t look all that convinced.

    "Whatever it is, we managed to prepare those trash as body shields for us, all thanks to Sam. Why worry about something trivial?"

    Sam also calmed down after hearing those words, "but.. you don''t mean we should just let him live in peace until then right?"

    "Who said we''ll let him be? I have a n." Tara said with a smirk.

    "Oooh?"

    "Just leave him to me, in these two weeks I will make him my loyal dog." A cold and ruthless light gleamed in her eyes.

    Tara wore a green cloak to dinner and waited for Esdras but he didn''t show up, even his friends and that bitch Celine who somehow got everyone thinking she''s the prettiest girl in the world, all came and went.

    At this point she was almost alone in the cafeteria and seething with anger.

    ''How could that dog bastard make her wait?!''

    Well, she didn''t talk to him about it but it was still his fault. Even though she knew clearly that didn''t make sense it didn''t matter to her.

    Men always caved under her presence, she easily saw through the desires under their eyes and used it to her own ends.

    It was the same with Sam and the others, she easily put them under her control to obey her everymand. Even her own pig of a father was the same, all of them were pathetic!

    The only exception was her darling Robert, he was the only one who truly loved her for who she was. He was good looking, talented and well bred, what more could she ask for?

    That''s why¡­ that''s why she needed to get rid of this cockroach named Esdras! He was getting in the way of their perfect life so he had to disappear.

    He even covered her in boar shit and tried to kill her! He couldn''t be allowed to live much longer.

    So what if he got a little better looking? The rumors about him were simply too outrageous, naturally she didn''t believe that nonsense.

    But she knew that he had a way to survive unexpectedly, the attempts ended up in failure one after the other. He had some luck about him for sure.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He also knew how to capitalize on opportunities to get ahead. Like that one time when he killed Theo and Bran.

    She had goosebumps thinking about it, if she hadn''t bewitched one of the soldiers ahead of time then she would have faced the same fate as Theo.

    Bran was called a deserter and killed by Esdras. Of course, if Bran didn''t exhaust his mana he would not have lost to the weak Esdras.

    But who was she? She was Tara! She could control this bastard easily, after all he was just a virgin loser like the rest of them.

    Under her careful machinations he would fall and be a dog that she could just dispose of during the Rite of passage.

    She could clearly picture it now, his handsome face crumbling in despair and herughing at his misery in hisst moments.

    Mmm¡­

    She could feel herself getting wet down there just thinking about it. But since that piece of shit didn''te down today she was going to get him tomorrow.

    As she was about to leave she noticed the piece of shit in question getting his food and stuffing his face a table across from hers.

    Embarrassingly, it seems like she was too immersed in her thoughts that she failed to notice him until now.

    No matter. The ne starts now.

    She got up, left her table and sat on the same bench as Esdras, he seemed surprised at seeing her to which she revealed a mncholic expression and talked before he could.

    "Hey, I know you may not even want to see me but¡­ I just couldn''t leave things be between us¡­"

    Esdras frowned, "I don''t think I understand what you mean by this, we''re not that close."

    Saying that he attempted to leave but she quickly grabbed him, not too roughly but enough to make him know she was serious.

    "I know you hate me, but will you please listen to what I have to say? Please? You can decide after."

    She looked at him with her eyes tearing up, enough to evoke a sense of vulnerability and pity in any man. And Esdras was no exception, she could see him faltering, his eyes fixed on her glossy lips and her plump body.

    "Fine¡­ I will hear what you have to say."

    Esdras sat down. Tara quickly took the chance to narrow the distance naturally without making it seem suspicious.

    "I know that things were terrible between us. Robert that idiot injured you and then there was that ident with the cave and all. I know this mist have been difficult for you¡­ I am sorry."

    "Hm!"

    It seems she sessfully surprised him by apologizing.

    "We were bullying you for fun and then thing escted¡­ it''s our fault. Things just got out of hand and I am sure we forced you to take extreme measures. It couldn''t be helped, from your perspective it had to be done to protect yourself. From now on why don''t we be friends and forget the past?"

    Her words sounded extremely sincere and honest, her expression truly matched well with her words making her look exactly like someone who regretted her past actions and wanted to change desperately.

    But¡­

    "Do you think that your words alone are enough to smooth everything over?! Are you mocking me?"

    Esdras who had his life endangered many times naturally wouldn''t ept a simple apology. Which was¡­ exactly what she wanted.

    Tara smirked for a moment before her expression changed back, "well, then tell me what should I do¡­"

    While talking her hand moved over to his thigh, she was already sticking very close to him without him noticing.

    "To make up for it?"

    Esdras''s face went beet red, as expected of a virgin and he stammered incoherently, "w-what¡­ wa¡­ y-you¡­"

    "Didn''t you understand me? I mean that I am willing to do ANYTHING to make it up to you¡­"

    At this moment her boobs stuck to his side and weighted on him arm like a boulder, his blush deepened. Her hand moved to his abs right above his crotch.

    ''My god these muscles are insane.'' Suddenly a disturbing thought distracted her.

    "A-anything you say?" He repeated stupidly.

    She licked her lips, "do I have to say something so embarrassing? You''re awful making a woman say this but just to be clear¡­

    "From now on until the rite of passage you can have your way with me as you like."

    "You can''t take that back."

    "Of course I won''t. Am I that kind of person?" Tara coyly giggled.

    Tara suddenly felt that something was wrong. But she was unable to notice that Esdras virgin boy expression was reced by a cold grin.

 Chapter 111 Thanks For The Meal! (1) R18

    Tara brought Esdras to her room while he waspletely under her charm and he was fidgeting nervously as expected of a virgin loser.

    He was aimlessly looking around not knowing what to do so she decided to embarrass him a little bit just for fun.

    "What''s wrong? You look so awkward! Don''t tell me¡­ you''ve never been to a girl''s room before?"

    "Ah, that, that''s not true!"

    She easily saw through hisme attempt to deny but she didn''t want to press it any more, after all she was here toplete her trap.

    "Come,e here, take a seat. Don''t be nervous~"

    Tara linked her arm with his very smoothly and purred seductively as she guided him to sit on her bed. As she did that she suddenly noticed his muscr forearm despite herself she held on to it for a bit longer than she had to.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Only to be startled by Esdras''s voice which freaked her out, she quickly let go and stood up while fixing her cloak in unwarranted haste.

    "It''s nothing, why don''t I give you a show? It''ll be fun~"

    ''This pig might be packing more muscle than expected, now that I think about it I heard some rumors that he was a Vigor knight? Hmph! So what, he''s even more of a trash than before!''

    Tara, being a mage apprentice naturally looked down on Vigor knights as slightly more capable servants and nothing more.

    The fact that a mage apprentice bothered to practice such lowly things will always be a shameful disy to her.

    "What show? Rather than that is this really fine? What about Robert, isn''t he your fianc¨¦e?"

    " don''t worry about that Robert isn''t here now is he? Besides, I am sure he would want to befriend you as well."

    Tara felt disgust within her as she spoke these words of course, the fool believed that she was going to sleep with him, but that was not going to happen.

    In fact the hard part was over, next was the disgusting part of course but it was also the easiest.

    Tara had a special ability, she had it since she was very young but didn''t know it until a certain incident. She could use it only once a day but that was more than enough.

    It was that powerful even though she still didn''t understand it fully, this ability was to give a man unimaginable pleasure. She just had to use her hand.

    It was a pleasure to such an extent that men would bepletely drained and would immediately lose consciousness.

    Even better they wouldn''t be able to forget it for the rest of their miserable lives and would continue to crave it day and night.

    To experience that feeling once again they would be loyal dogs willing to do anything for her. The effects on a virgin was even more intense.

    No other woman would be able to arouse them ever again!

    Naturally that was not her n for Esdras, at least not exactly. First she was going to give him a taste of heaven and after that she will refuse to see him which will drive him crazy.

    He will definitely show some obsessive behavior.

    After two days she would invite him again and then kill him in his sleep after he inevitably lost consciousness after experiencing that blissful feeling once again at least thest feeling, he would feel should give him a right to brag in the afterlife.

    Naturally, such a scene could not be hidden, and she was not nning to hide it either way not at all. In fact, she was nning to make a big deal and the scene out of it. She was going to cry and scream for the guards after killing him.

    Apprentices could not kill one another, but of course, there are exceptions to this rule, such as self-defense. Or even better attempted rape.

    Nothing else needed to be said, and he get man in her bed. Of course, she also prepared several ''witnesses'' just to be sure.

    If they weren''t in the tower, she wouldn''t have to go this far in a little rape allegation, in the outside world she just needed to make that im, and everything would be over for that man.

    But because this is the Octarine tower things can''t be that easy, of course it wasn''t that hard either.

    Tara made a show of removing her cloak and twisting her body like a willow, she threw the cloak on the back of a nearby chair and looked back at Esdras.

    He was captivated by her and his eyes were eating through her red shirt which had a deep neckline that revealed her cleavage. Her tight ck skirt was very short if she bent down her panties would be in clear view.

    She smirked, her body and face were her pride and joy, she always felt superior to everyone else because of this.

    She walked towards the bed slowly while shaking her ass from one side to another, then she took off her hairband and released her brown curly hair and threw it aside.

    Esdras couldn''t take his eyes off her and gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

    Next she caressed her own body and then threw away the red shirt to reveal a red bra that matched well with her pale skin and red lipstick. Finally she took it off in an exaggerated manner.

    Her tits could be described as beckoning, the shape was great ending in two globes of delicious globes of fantasy milkers. They should be double DD''s.

    Her nipples were bigger than usual and that gave her a slight forbidden-fruit impression.

    Esdras reached out to the inviting pair, a sign of his eptance to the invitation. But Tara swatted his hands away yfully.<novelnext></novelnext>

    When Esdras looked at her in doubt she leaned in close, "not yet~ first let me get you off. Tonight is all about you, I will be satisfied."

    She kneeled down in front of Esdras and parted his legs, she removed his trousers and then his pants, all the while her green eyes were making eye contact with his own.

    She licked her lips atst and looked down at his swelling member and smirked in triumph.

    "Oh, my~ already at full power," she giggled in delight.

    "Hmm? What? Actually that not¡ª"

    It seems that Esdras was about to say something when her cole hands touched his hot cock. And rub it back and forth, Esdras groaned in response to her touches.

    She smiled as her ability was triggered as soon as Esdras climaxed it would be her victory.

    But.

    Her smile suddenly waned, his dick actually grew bigger until it was twice as big. That was¡­ almost eight inches? And it was unexpectedly thick too.

    Tara gulped down a mouthful of saliva unknowingly but she was quick to regain herposure.

    ''So, so what if he has a big dick? It''s not nothing, I just have to make him cum that''s all. He''s just a virgin this should be more than enough, right?''

    But, another problem happened even after several minutes passed by like that Esdras was not showing any signs of cumming yet.

    ''This smell¡­ what? So disgusting! But my head¡­''

    Tara decided to increase the pace of her jacking to get this over with, however¡ª

    "Hey!"

    A harsh voice suddenly startled her, she looked up at Esdras who was now looking at her differently, in fact the air around him was also different as if he was a different person. His cold eyes and stern expression scared her.

    "What the fuck do you think you''re doing?"

    "I-I was trying to make you feel good¡­"

    Tara stammered nervously for some reason.

    "With just your hand? Are you kidding me?" Esdras rolled his eyes in disbelief.

    "Well, this always¡ª I mean I thought I could¡ª"

    "You''re not gonna get anywhere like that, you should do better, you''re experienced after all, right?"

    "Of course I am!" Tara eximed, her pride was bruised.

    ''But this always worked, no matter who in a few minutes they would cum and my ability took care of the rest.''

    "Hey, I have an idea. Why don''t you suck me off for starters, okay?"

    "Suck you off? What does that mean?" Tara wasn''t very clear on what that even meant. Suck off? Suck what?

    "Oh, for fuck''s sake! This world needs me toy some vital education." Esdras facepalmed.

    "Put my cock in your mouth and suck, it''s not that hard."

    "Suck? This? In my mouth?! No way!" Tara couldn''t listen to this nonsense any longer.

    "What are you backing down now?"

    Tara bit her lips, she already got this far and if Esdras left now her n would be for naught. This was the best chance to get rid of this slippery rat.

    Tara opened her red lips and put the bulbous head of the swollen dick in her mouth. Slowly she stared to bob back and forth.

    Although she hated this and the smell got even worse, her head was starting to spin.

    "Hey!"

    Tara pulled back and looked at Esdras who had an exasperated look on his face.

    "What, I''m sucking it like you said."

    "Sucking it? You have no idea what a blowjob is, you''re just putting the head in. I''m done waiting, I will show you how it''s done. Remember this how I expect my blowjobs from now on."

    Tara was suddenly grabbed by his big hands, both sides of her head and suddenly the entire length of the cock invaded her unprepared throat and almost broke her jaw.

    She was so confused that she didn''t notice something suspicious that Esdras just said.

 Chapter 112 Thanks For The Meal! (2) R18

    Her head went nk for a moment and then she felt Esdras pulling back but before she could breath out he mmed back in once again and again and again and again.

    He ced her full mouth on the tip of his cock and then engulfed the entire thing. Her mouth was hot, wet, and tight, and he groaned as he imagined how her pussy would feel wrapped around his member very soon.

    However, suddenly he stopped and pulled outpletely.

    Tara, finally able to take a breath was suddenly pped across the face but her head was held in ce by Esdras so she didn''t fly off.

    "What the fuck was that?!"

    He growled and she whimpered in fear, she remembered that day when she was pped by him the woods in front of many people and humiliated.

    Yet this time the memories didn''t evoke anger but fear and¡­ other emotions.

    "What was that just now? If I feel teeth again I will fucking rip your teeth out myself. Am I clear?"

    "Yes, yes." Tara nodded her head dumbly. Unable to even realize that the roles have reversed.

    "Good, I''ll give you a chance to do it yourself. Don''t disappoint me."

    Tara nodded enthusiastically, she could do it this time for sure. No she had to do it!

    Before she got to it, he slipped his hands downwards and grabbed hold of her breasts yed around with them and pinched her nipples.

    Tara bobbed her head back and forth, and loud, wet, sloppy noises echoed through the dark room as she teased him with her tongue.

    He was actually influencing her pace and pressure using her nipples, pinching and twisting harder when he felt good and rxing when he didn''t feel that good. This also made her disassociate pain and pleasure.

    She moaned with pleasure as she continued to suck him, and he leaned his head back and let her do her thing. She pushed her mouth further down his shaft, and he shuddered in pleasure as she swirled her tongue around his cock.

    She pulled back but Esdras didn''t interrupt her, she wasn''t quitting, she had an intoxicated expression, she gazed at his cock and suddenly pressed her nose against the head of his cock, taking several deep whiffs.

    The sight of her beautiful face contorting as her nostrils red, sent a jolt of desire straight to his crotch. Her breath was tickling the sensitive skin around the very tip.

    Her slender white fingertips lightly traced over the head of his dick sending jolt of pleasure down the entire length of his shaft. His cock jumped up and down.

    She ran her tongue all over the head of his cock sounding like a cat licking at a bowl of milk.

    Translucent drips of pre-cum continue to drip from the head of his cock and as each dew-like bead, emerged, her tongue immediately scooped them up, leaving his skin, shiny and sticky.

    Her tongue slithered around him, like a snake, licking him all over and polishing his cock until he could almost see his own reflection in the saliva coated surface.

    His dick was so swollen with blood that it began to look like a monster in shape. His veins throbbed, and it began to turn red.

    His head was once again enveloped in the hot, moist flesh of her cheeks, causing a sweet numbing sensation to spread from his dick through his lower abdomen, making him feel like he was melting. He couldn''t help but sigh from the sheer intensity of it.

    She popped her head up and down with her lips spread wide around his shaft, and her nostrils red open for air. She was a sight to behold.

    Suddenly a vacuum-like force irrupted from her mouth and sucked him in deeper as if she was trying to swallow his entire dick, although she was a few inches short, despite her best efforts.

    The refined features of her face were contorted into a vulgar mess. Her desperate sucking, and loud nasal breathing made it seem like she was a ve to his dick.

    She moaned ecstatically as he continued, moving her head rhythmically on his dick.

    She was a natural-born cocksucker without a doubt. A part of Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he uncovered a hidden gem, it needs a bit of polish under his care but he was now certain that he could train her into a proper cocksleeve.

    What a lucky find!

    Suddenly he grabbed her head and thrust inside of her, fucking her skull violently, and she did not resist. She continued, sucking, harder and harder, feeling his balls swell. He finally inserted all of his cock inside of her.

    ring her nostril wide, she seemed to enjoy the lewd smell and now she resemble a pig as she continue sucking on his dick slurping sounds echoed loudly in the small room.

    His cum irrupted with so much force that it surprised even him. An intense jolt of pleasure shot down his spine, so forcefully that he almost passed out, causing him to shove his cock even further down her throat.

    Tara suddenly came back to her senses, and rejoice in her mind, she did it, finally! She had no idea what came over her just now but she was at least d that she finished the job.

    As she was feeling the flood of cum in her mouth, she was repulsed and revolted by this disgusting liquid, and was about to pull out, when certainly a huge, andid on her head and held her in ce.

    ''W-what?! He''s not out? Impossible!''

    After her power was triggered, and the victim would immediately pass out after cuming that was absolutely the truth.<novelnext></novelnext>

    And yet. And yet! Why?! What is happening today? She¡­ she might have made a mistake¡­ but knowing this now was useless, unfortunately.

    She actually pulled back and released the cock out of her mouth. But that was the wrong call. Esdras, in rage grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her back plunging his still-cumming cock in her mouth.

    She couldn''t say anything, the cum in her mouth was so thick it was almost solid. She tried to push him away with her hands and convey with her eyes that she didn''t want to swallow it.

    But it was useless, the pain from her hair being pulled increased several fold and Esdras''s other hand sealed her nostrils preventing her from breathing.

    "Swallow it." Esdras coldly ordered, "you may not like it at first but you will find that you''ve developed a taste for it soon."

    She had no choice. The amount was increasing, she began to swallow a mouthful after another, the taste was horrible and tears started falling as she swallowed. Her jaw and throat were stretched to the limit so she took a moment to breathe out.

    "The fuck? Who told you to stop? You think I will have sympathy for you? Keep sucking you slut!"

    She must be delusional if she thought Esdras would give a fuck about her feelings, she tried to get him killed! He had no sympathy for her.

    Tara stopped crying and soldiered on, after getting Esdras''s permission she finally released his now soft cock out of her mouth and took several deep breaths.

    She was in a trance and devastated, she had no idea how things came to this, more importantly how did her ability fail?

    "What are you in a daze for?" Esdras suddenly barked at her, "stand up and lift that skirt for me, whore!"

    Even if she herself didn''t know it, Tara was actually in an intense sexual trance and when Esdras snapped at her she obeyed without thinking.

    Although his words were demeaning and she should hate it but¡­

    "Ooh, what''s this? Look at this bitch!" He sneered.

    Tara looked appalled and ashamed beyond belief, she wanted to dig herself into the ground.

    "How wet can a woman get? And I didn''t even touch you yet. What should I say? As expected of a dirty slut, right. Hahahhah!"

    Tara didn''t know where to look, she didn''t want to do this, she wanted to get out of here. She wasn''t a slut or a whore, she wanted to refute, but the evidence was staring her in the eye.

    Her sexy red panties were drenched in her own juices one might think that she pissed herself.

    "Hey, I think you did great." Esdras''s tone suddenly softened as he got closer to her and threw her panties away.

    "What, re-really?" She asked despite not understanding what was happening to her.

    "Oh, yeah. Wasn''t this your first blowjob? I think you weren''t that bad." Afterforting her he gently hugged her and felt her stiff body rx. He smirked.

    Tara didn''t know what was the reason behind his change in demeanor but she just felt warmth spreading inside her. Figuratively and literally.

    Esdras inserted his index finger inside of her pussy while he wasforting her. She gasped as she felt the strength leaving her body.

    "You know what I think?" He asked casually.

    "W-what?" Tara wondered while her attention was elsewhere.

    "I think you can get even better."

    "R-really?" She asked back as his thumb was toying with her clit sending jolts of pleasure across her entire body.

    "Without a doubt, I honestly believe you''re a natural-born sex ve."

    "Sex ve? Bu-but I am not¡ª Ahahah!"

    Right when he said ''sex ve'' he pinched her clit and she climaxed like never before in her life. Her body shook all over so much so that she looked possessed.

    Esdras hugged her close until she came back to the world of the living with a an extremely dumb look as if she was lost.

    "Now then, it''s almost time for the main event. First, a sex ve must learn to clean up after her master and herself, and look at the mess you made. Shouldn''t you take responsibility?"

    Esdras showed her his drenched hand and brought it closer to her mouth.

    "Clean it up."

 Chapter 113 Thanks For The Meal (3) R18

    Tara, now unable to decide on what to do due a multitude of conflicting feelings obeyed the clear and demanding orders rather than think for herself.

    She parted her lips and sucked down on his fingers tasting her own shame in the process but she didn''t care at the moment. She was just relieved that she got a look of approval from Esdras.

    Even more shocking Esdras started kissing her beginning under her earlobe, he brushed her hair back gently.

    Tara was enveloped by his big and muscr body, his body was much bigger and stronger than hers it was only right for her to obey hismands, the more she listened the better she felt so how can that be wrong?

    "Crawl to the bed and spread your legs."

    Hearing that order she immediately walked over to the bed¡ª

    She only took one step before she was chocked and found herself looking at Esdras, this time his face was not gentle but stiff and stoic.

    "I can''t excuse these mistakes anymore, you will be punished for it. Bed over my knees and lift up your skirt."

    "But, but I did as you¡ª"

    "Now!"

    Esdras sat down on the bed and Tara bent down on his knees and lifted up her skirt revealing her asscheeks.

    Without any dy a loud spank burned her ass sending her yelping.

    "Aahh!"

    "That''s one, you will get five on each cheek, this is the lightest punishment just because you''re new. Start counting if you miss or make a mistake I will start over. By the end you will thank me for disciplining you, a cock-hungry slut, am I clear."

    "Yes, yes sir."

    Tara changed the way she addressed him in a desperate attempt to please him and lower her punishment. She had never been treated this way, even her father neverid his hands on her, and that was even before she controlled him with her ability.

    Esdras started the punishment seriously, each strike produced a loud p. At first Tara struggled to stay in ce but by the end she got ustomed to the pain.

    This is because Esdras started to teas her clit while spanking her which mixed pain and pleasure. Her white ass was now red and had several handprints.

    "That''s thest one, now what do we say?"

    "Th-thank you, sir. For taking the time to discipline this cock-hungry slut!"

    Tara spoke without any hesitation whatsoever, her mind upied by overwhelming desire, her body was shacking and quivering in lust.

    "Good, good, now do you know what was your mistake?" This was a test.

    "You ordered me to crawl but I was stupid and walked instead. I won''t do it again, sir."

    "Good answer, now onto the bed and spread your legs for me, bitch." Esdras snorted in disdain his tone was clearly condescending.

    Tara, however was in cloud nine for the fact that her answer pleased Esdras and she avoided further punishment.

    Like that without noticing she suddenly found that she wasying on her bed and Esdras was on top of her, sucking on her hard and puffy nipples savagely, licking, biting and squeezing those tits for all he could.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Now that wasn''t bad for forey, now onto the main act¡­"

    Before she could gather her thoughts, he was on top of her and she felt his cock nudge up against the opening of her saturated pussy. But he did not slide it into her pussy; instead he just held her down and prodded her sex with it.

    "No! Wait, stop!"

    Esdras was just teasing but he didn''t expect for Tara to protest now of all times.

    "What is it now?" He asked in annoyance but didn''t move away.

    "You, you can''t put it in! You just can''t!"

    "What? Why not? Are you out of your mind?"

    Tara had managed to regain herposure right before the deed was done and spoke out. But she was also clear in not wanting to anger Esdras anymore so she knew she had to choose her words carefully.

    "It''s because of Robert, he''s my fianc¨¦, I can only do it with him!"

    "What a load of bullshit!" Esdras couldn''t understand what was going on, "are you telling me you haven''t done with anyone but Robert? You of all people?! What a joke!"

    "No! We haven''t done it yet! I just used my hand on him, we''re waiting for marriage! I swear it''s the truth, so I can''t do it, anything but that¡­"

    "You''re saying Robert didn''t fuck you yet?" Esdras asked in disbelief, no matter what he didn''t believe that.

    "Yes, he''s the love of my life. So please, let''s stop here¡­" Tara said looking very different from before as if she was about to revert to her old self. As long as she exined clearly he should understand and stop it here.

    "Pfft!"

    Suddenly she heard Esdras unable to hold in augh, she felt an ominous feeling ovee her.

    "What a fucking dumbass! Hahahaha! I can''t believe how stupid a person can be? I guess I should really thank him for what he did for me!"

    "W-what¡­"

    "Hey you stupid bitch get a look at this, because you rambled on the saliva on my dick dried up, give me a sloppy blowjob."

    Tara was so happy that she immediately got up, and started sucking his hard cock. If she just had to use her mount then that was fine as long she managed to protect her purity.

    "Okay that''s enough lube, now get on your back and spread open your pussy for me."

    "What? But I thought??" Tara asked dumbly.

    "You thought what now? I don''t give a fuck about what you think, I am going to have my way with you until I''m satisfied remember what you said? Actually I was going to fuck you either way. Now, get to it."

    Tara wanted to refuse, why would she just do as he told her? But¡­ somehow her body moved and sheid on her back and her slender fingers moved below and spread her pussy lips.

    Esdras smirked, he gripped his hard cock and suddenly shoved it inside of he sopping wet pussy.

 Chapter 114 Purpose In Life R18

    After Tara was humiliated and punished she was no longer in the mindset to oppose Esdras as her body and mind intentionally avoided that when she thought about things.

    Which is why her first reaction was to do as she was told lest she be punished again, her ass was still hurting.

    Now that she thought about it, this wasn''t her fault, it was Robert''s! He was in the wrong for leaving her alone without a word.

    As Esdras prated her, he took her precious virginity so casually, so cruelly. By the expression on his face it was obvious that he truly didn''t care, he was.

    Esdras forced the entire length of his dick inside her feverish pussy, lewd squelching sounds through the air juices were forcibly ejected from around his cock.

    A longbored moan escaped her lips as her pussy walls convulsed her hands clutch to the bedsheets, and she arched her back.

    "Aah! Aaah! Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh!"

    "Cumming! I''m cumming!"

    Tara howled unable to believe waht just happened, she cam immediately!

    The bed creaked under their burgeoning lust.

    Esdras felt her pussy tightly massaging his dick and let out a low beastial growl.

    "Virgins really are the best!"

    Tara suddenly remembered that she thought Esdras was a virgin, it was only now that she realized she was led by the nose from the beginning.

    How much of an idiot was she? It was already toote now¡­

    ''I lost! No, from the start I never had a chance against this devil!''

    Her soft inner flesh twisted and tighten around him, stimting him from the base of his shaft all the way to the top bring him almost unbearable pleasure.

    Her pussy pulsed with unmistakable pleasure. He started thrusting.

    "Aaah! No!¡­. Wait! I just came¡­ please let me rest!"

    Esdras ignored her pleas, he didn''t give her any consideration to begin with.

    Sweet numbing pleasure spread through his groin, shooting up the length of his spine and straight to his brain with each thrust.

    Tara''s expression, distorted and contorted into an expression of utter depravity.

    Her inner walls enveloped him in witness, increasingly obscene sounds echoing loudly. The air was filled with the sound of hisrge dick fucking the life out of her sopping wet pussy.

    Those sounds mingled with Tara''s sweet moans and his own gasps for breath in sort of erotic symphony.

    "How does it feel? You bitch! Tell me how does it feel for your first time to be taken by me?!"

    Tara didn''t, or perhaps, couldn''t respond as her body was rocked back and forth. It was not until he grabbed a handful of her tits and pinched her nipples and pped her tits that she came back to reality, although it was only a temporary return.

    "It''s gooood! It feels so fucking good! You''re sooo deep! Oh, god! Oh, godd!"

    She was reduced to a wild animal, her face contorted into a mask of pleasure and her is ecstatic moans urged him on.

    With his cock shoved deep inside her, he ground his hips against hers inrge, circr motions. The head of his cock kept getting harder, stuffing her pussy almost painfully.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Tara clung to the bedsheets, her nostrils, ring ridiculously as she struggled to endure the intense pleasure.

    Tara''s plump breasts, each capped with a gorgeous brown nipples, bounced up-and-down in time with each thrust, the sound of the damp sweat-drenched flesh pping together echoed loudly.

    He waspletely intoxicated with the way her tight wet pussy clung to his cock, stimting the entire length as he mercilessly fucked her.

    "Look at this! And you were acting so high and mighty when you bullied me before and so vicious when you tried to kill me! And now look at you! Apologize!"

    "I''m sorry! Hek, please forgive me! I was a bitch, please forgive me and let me go!"

    "Heh heh, let you go? Are you dreaming? You think I will ever let you go? This is where your talents really lie, this is what you were born to do!"

    "W-what I was born to do?" Tara asked back in confusion.

    Esdras pulled out and stood up on the bed then raised Tara''s lower body to his dick level and then he put a foot on Tara''s head stepping on her before putting his cock back in.

    "Yes, don''t you think that people are born for a purpose in life? You were born to be my cocksleeve! That is why you exist! Do you understand now?"

    "Me? That''s my purpose?" Tara was unsure what this meant.

    "Just look at how turned on you are now!"

    As if trying to show how turned on she was her inner walls pulsed around his dick, squeezing him delightfully. It was already molding itself to the shape of his cock.

    "This is who you are!"

    "This who I¡­ am?"

    Esdras spat on her face crushed under his foot and smiled, "I don''t care if you got it or not, either way this is what I''ve decided!"

    As the entire length of his cock was enveloped in sweet, almost agonizing pleasure, he realize that once again she was indeed born for this.

    Tara desperately wed at the sheets, crying out as if she were in pain. He continued to fucking her hard and fast this time, the inner walls of her pussy clinging almost desperately to his cock.

    Even the slightest movement of his hips was enough to slowly begin draining the sanity from her.

    He only needed to apply a little more force to leave her a gibbering mess and in exchange her pussy walls clung to him, eloquently, inviting him deeper, sucking him further inside.

    He obliged, violently fucking her pussy and creating a thick, sticky mess of theirbined juices.

    He relentlessly mmed into her cervix like a battering, ram, stimting the hormone sensitive spot over and over.

    In the face of such overwhelming pleasure, she could do nothing but rolled her eyes backwards, and her tongue dangle out for mouth uncontrobly.

    The buildup of pleasure and his need to release it. It finally exploded from the base of his dick. An intense wave of euphoric pleasure slipped from the head of his cock down to his balls, and all the way to his spine, shooting through his entire body.

    Esdras had enjoyed himself throughly and so he let go of her body and pushed her off the bed.

    Tara was still cumming when she was thrown off but she still looked at Esdras in confusion.

    "What? You think you will be allowed to sleep on the same bed as me? Get out of here, bitch. Also shave that bush you have down there I like it clean shaven. I will check it next time."

    And so Tara had to sleep on her couch in her own apartment.

 Chapter 115 The Aftermath

    Tara woke up slowly, her body was sore and she had a headache, she heard a strange noise which woke her up.

    Sunlight streamed into the living room through the window and small dust particles could be seen floating about where the rays of the sun touched the air.

    "Aah,"

    Tara raised her randomly sprawled body which felt really refreshing today for some reason. She rubbed her eyes and looked around the room.

    "Hm? Why was I sleeping in the living room?"

    For some reason she was sleeping, naked at that, in the living room. This was odd, but she didn''t have much time to think on it, she was ovee with the intense need to pee.

    She got up to go to the bathroom but she stumbled and almost fell on her face, everything under her waist was sore and she moved to quickly.

    Why? What happened? Suddenly her headache became worse so she abandoned that thought and decided to relieve herself first before anything else.

    So she jogged over to the bathroom, but the door was wide open for some reason, she didn''t care about that and instead charged in only to be met with a sight she didn''t even dream of seeing.

    Esdras wasying submerged in steaming water in her own bathtub while humming a strange sounding tune.

    "Aaaaahhhhhh!"

    Suddenly all the memories of what happenedst night shed through her mind and she screamed in shock and terror.

    "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

    Esdras asked in annoyance, he was not expecting to hear such a disturbing screech first thing in the morning.

    "Y-you!!! You raped me yesterday!"

    Tara pointed at him in horror and looked down at herself for the first time since waking up, she could see and feel some dried cum on her inner thighs¡­

    "Raped you?" Esdras mocked, "oh, please, you invited me here and took off your own clothes, you said you were going to satisfy me. Did I miss anything?"

    "T-that''s¡ª" Tara was speechless for a moment, she couldn''t confess that it was part of an borate scheme to kill him and frame him for rape¡­ wait a moment!

    "I-I will tell everyone that you raped me!" Tara''s eyes gleamed in viciousness. Things didn''t go as nned but in the end it was the same as the original n.

    No.

    It was even better, the evidence was undeniable now. Although she had to sacrifice herself for this result it was without a doubt a checkmate.

    Yesterday she was subjected to utter humiliation and disgrace, at one one she was even spanked like a little girl! She had never in her life been through this kind of misery.

    Even if she got to take Esdras''s limbs one after another she would never forget this grudge!

    Tara looked back at Esdras to see him beg for mercy only to deny him and enjoy his suffering, but something was wrong. He had a bored expression.

    "Oh, ok. Go ahead then, tell everyone if you want to go with that story."

    "You think they won''t believe me? This is more than enough proof! It''s over for you!" She spat with venom in her words.

    "Okay, didn''t you hear me the first time I said go. But maybe you should see this first before going, how about it?"

    "See what?" Tara rolled her eyes, she didn''t think this was fun anymore. Suddenly her eyes widened in shock and were about to fall out their sockets.

    A fireball, half her size appeared behind her, surprising her and causing her to slip and fall on her bruised butt. The fireball closed in on her to the point that she felt her skin burn.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This was not a spell that a mere apprentice could cast, not to mention the density of the mes and the heat, it was just how big it was and how quickly it appeared behind her.

    This could only mean one thing, but it was so surreal that she instinctively denied that answer just because of how absurd it was.

    "No way¡­ absolutely no way¡­"

    "Do you understand now?" Esdras took that moment to dispel the fireball and step out of the bathtub.

    "The difference in status between us?" Esdras chuckled and whipped his hair back, "so, go, do your thing if you feel like it."

    "Oh, what the hell? Did you piss yourself! Seriously!"

    Tara had unknowingly pissed herself in fear. This is because she realized what this meant, that she would have been killed by Esdras in the rite of passage either way.

    To them the rite of passage was a life and death trial but to Esdras it was a walk in the park, in which he decided the life and death of whomever he wanted.

    It was very likely that Esdras who held a grudge against them would take the chance to eliminate them then.

    This was indeed what was going to happen.

    "Anyway, get up and get me a towel will you?" Esdras suddenly grabbed Tara and pulled her up. Tara still confused got him a towel and blinked repeatedly looking lost.

    "Also, I don''t know what you were ning but it probably had something to do with that ability of yours right?"

    That was when she received another shock.

    "H-how did you¡ª!!"

    This was the secret most important to her that no one knew about.

    "How indeed."

    Esdras naturally wasn''t going to tell her.

    [Name: Tara Chester]

    Rank: 1

    ss: apprentice mage Lv.3

    Race: Human (dormant nymph bloodline)

    Traits: 1) enhanced pleasure Lv.1

    Esdras had already seen her stats and was on guard against this ability but it was low-level and it could only affect low-level beings.

    He wasn''t only a True mage but even a Core knight, his body and mind were beyond normal, how could her ability work on him.

    Actually it did work, it just wasn''t very effective.

    "What do you want from me?" Tara asked.

    Esdras smirked, "oh, not much, not much, believe me."

 Chapter 116 The Force Has Awakened

    Esdras was putting his clothes back on while Tara stood in the hallway with aplicated expression. This whole time she was unable toprehend how everything fell apart like this.

    In her shock she didn''t respond to Esdras for a long time which irritated him atst.

    "Hey, are you done spacing out? I want to hear an answer." He said firmly.

    "T-that¡­ what do you want me to exactly?"

    Tara closed her eyes and opened them again to return to reality as hard as it was to ept, she had to find a sliver-lining.

    "Actually nothing. Just keep acting as you always do. Pretend that everything is as usual."

    "R-really?" Tara asked in disbelief.

    "Yes, really." Esdras smiled, "keep your little friends out of the loop and convince them that I am under your spell, you can do at least that much right. I will tell you the restter."

    "B-but we¡ª I mean they, they want to kill you during the exam, you know it''s allowed to kill other apprentices during the exam without any repercussions."

    "Sure, I do." Esdras replied, with a sinister smile that send shivers down her spine.

    Yes, everything has be clear now. He almost forgot about his true identity, as a True mage for a second. It was so absurd that she hadn''t excepted it as reality yet.

    She could you know what Esdras wanted, he n to get rid of them during the exam just as they were trying to do him. But of course, from the beginning they missed the most important factor.

    A True mage.

    Their numbers wouldn''t matter, it was a massacre waiting to happen.

    Even if he didn''t do anything so far, things would have proceeded in the same manner.

    Even if she told Sam and the others about the truth, it wouldn''t change anything unless they decided to hide under the ground during the exam and not move or do anything hoping that Esdras wouldn''t catch them.

    However, knowing Sam and the others, they wouldn''t even believe her.

    They would definitely die, but she had a chance to live throughout this ordeal. If he obeyed Esdras and delivered Sam and the others to him, then she would have contributed, and proved her usefulness.

    Tara didn''t need to hear Esdras tell her all this, but she was able to infer and read what was between the lines.

    More importantly, her desire to live, no matter what was very great.

    As Tara thought about many things that concerned, her life and death, Esdras rolled his eyes mockingly.

    Of course, her thought process was not wrong, but she herself did not know, or other did nothing further than that. The real reason that he wanted Sam and the others want to investigate the motivations of Roberts schemes against him.

    And for revenge of course too.

    Esdras could ask Tara about it now, but he had no intention to do it, so right now. Simply because he would not trust any answers she gave him instead, it was better to have her distracted with survival.

    Of course he was the person that he wanted the most not Sam or any of the others. She was the closest to Robert, of course, being his fianc¨¦. She would know the most about his thoughts, and what he wanted to do.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But first he was going to break her, before, trusting any answers she gave him. Throughout this time, he was going to make sure to build up resentment against Robert inside of her heart, and vite her body at the same time.

    It would not be long before she broke.

    Esdras got to the training room leaving Tara to stew on his instructions and started examining the negative energy gathering technique. And he was shocked.

    Actually yesterday while taking revenge on Tara and humiliating her, he started using the technique unintentionally but he was surprised by the results.

    The amount of negative energy he absorbed from tormenting Tara was unbelievable. His normal pace was like a snail but in a single night he made the progress of a fortnight?!

    ? It was apletely different level!

    So this is what it meant to absorb negative energy from people. He thought of it as something simr to mana or vigor but in fact it wasn''t the case.

    To improve in this technique it was a hundred times more effective to inflict suffering on others and then absorb the resulting negative energy.

    That seemed a little too evil, right?

    But¡­ he couldn''t go back to normal cultivation after experiencing that difference!

    Anyway he was going to use it on his enemies in the first ce so it was fine.

    The speed wasn''t the only thing that changed, it was the affinity. It was like he got closer to the essence of negative energy. Was it because of he newfound method or his own understanding of the energy growing, which lead to this change?

    Anyway he needed to investigate the negative energy and experiment on it more.

    Within the training ground, there was no one around at this time despite the inevitable exam, no one seemed intent on improving themselves. Of course, what good can a few days do that five years couldn''t change?

    Esdras pondered on this and concentrated the negative energy along with his spiritual energy and aimed it at a pebble the size of his finger. An intense feeling of ache ran through his body and his mind especially.

    After a minute of struggle, the pebble started floating, perhaps a more appropriate word to describe it would be ''levitating''. From a distance of 1 meter the pebble slowly moved through the air into his palm.

    "Sess!!"

    Esdras couldn''t contain his excitement and jumped in the air. Atst he was able to see the first result of a technique he started training in for a month or so.

    After a moment he suddenly looked at the hand holding the pebble and and smirked.

    ''Tara may prove to be of use to me after all.''

    He he he

    In more way than one.

    "The force is with me!"

    This may not be the gxy far, far away but the force was still able to chose him.

 Chapter 117 News From Home

    It was just telekinesis.

    The negative energy gathering technique was going to be very useful. As long as he had enough negative energy, he would have ess to three abilities.

    Telekinesis, possession and illusion, casting.

    Of course he had to have enough negative energy first before anything else. The effect of these abilities might be very weak at first nce, because even at the strongest level that he could achieve in theory, it would be hard to cast an illusion against a creature of a simr rank.

    But still, these tricks could prove fatal duringbat, even if it was a distraction for a fraction of a second it could prove fatal in the life or death situation.

    More importantly, if he found a way to negate the side effects of the negative energy that the pharaoh told him about then¡­

    But of course, it was not something that would happen overnight, especially since disability did not appear in the system, and could only be improved by rigorous training.

    In any case, even if he couldn''t ovee the side effects, he was happy anyway because the most important reason why he wanted this ability was because it could be used without mana.

    ¡­.

    A few days passed since then and finally today something happened.

    "This is what I found." David mmed a bunch of papers and documents on the table at his room.

    Esdras went through them in a grim mood. These were the papers obtained from Robert''s apartment. David had some connections and was able to obtain a spare key to his apartment and even was able to rummage through the stuff and obtain these papers.

    Esdras had wanted to do this for a while, but he knew that with his current identity and position it would be very difficult to avoid suspicion.

    This is when David stepped in, apparently he said that he could get him what he wanted very quietly without anyone knowing about it.

    Although David may deny it, Esdras was sure that he belong to a powerful mage family, or perhaps a n that had connections with the Octarine tower.

    However, after going through everything, he could only conclude that he didn''t find anything that could implicate Robert.

    At least not directly, he did find a small message, written, cryptically, and without any seals or marks.

    '' you mustplete the deed as soon as you can, our partners are in a hurry. If we prove ourselves to them now, and save them a lot of inconvenience, we would stand to benefit greatly. I know you can do it. This is all for the restoration of our family.''

    It was an extremely cryptic letter, if he wasn''t looking for something like this, then he may have missed it entirely. Although there was no proof, he had a feeling that this matter was started by this letter.

    This is when many pieces of the puzzle that he already had started to click together, although the full picture was not clear yet he started to get an idea about what was happening.

    Robert Castyia and Tara Chester.

    The Castyia family was a viscount family from the Kazzat kingdom and it neighbored his own Varthos territory currently.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Chester family was a Count family that was not too far either.

    It was unfortunate that he did not think of these facts before now, he did not think that these two would be fellow countrymen, it was never brought up before.

    And they were betrothed to each other too.

    He did not know why they wanted him dead, if it was a simple invading against his territory, then they did not need to kill him right now, and so hastily too.

    This letter proved that they wanted him dead very quickly, at least at that time.

    After even if he died, his uncle wouldn''t simply handover the territory to them. In fact, he would be very happy to see him dead at somebody else''s hands. That would prevent anyone from ever using him of usurping his property and title.

    Of course, this still did not mean that they were not in cahoots with his uncle. It was not clear what was exactly going on in the Kazzat kingdom.

    The next day, another important letter arrived. This one was brought here by a courierpany that was specialized in sending letters or supplies throughout the entire region.

    This letter was from Redthorn, he had sent the letters to when the were still in Seroie. Of course, the goblin was stationed in the Bon gorge, so he had no address exactly.

    Esdras had to write multiple letters and have them copied multiple times. The courier had to spread the letters throughout the gorge until he got a reply, and then sent a reply back.

    The courier had no idea what was going on and to whom the letters written to, they were not paid to ask questions of to know these things they will pay to deliver the letters back-and-forth.

    The leather detailed what happened to Redthorn after their separation. Redthorn admit it many weeks ago already, and has started sending goblins to investigate what was going on within the territory as he was instructed to do.

    He even took over a bunch of monsters that were roaming the gorge.

    ? In fact, the situation within the territory was very calm on the surface at least. While that was true, it was not so for the rest of the Wildnds.

    The violence were the target of conquest of the Kazzat kingdom since many years ago, the greatest contributor to this conquest was house Varthos. While many houses participated in the conquest, no one family could ever measure up to Varthos.

    The king had ordered. The noble house is to bring civilization and liberation to the barbarians and them humans living within the wildnds.

    This is how house Varthos earned their Earldom, in the past. However, they could not hold onto these lines for more than a generation as the increase in the number of monsters, and the political stability of the kingdom forced the houses to pull out of the wildnds.

    This lead to the decline of house Varthos the most, as it benefitted the most it also lost the most.

    Thanks to his investigation, Redthorn was able to notice that several houses that had participated in the conquest of the wildnds. I''ve been getting up for war and entering the wildnds once again.

    However, Esdras found that very weird. As these houses simply did not have the resources or the backing to attempt recapturing the wilnds once again.

    What was going on?

 Chapter 118 Position

    The noble houses on the border of the wildnds lost their past glory along with the majority of their holdings. Throughout the years they lost their dignity and were mocked as country bumpkins by high society.

    Right now they were a shell of their former selves so how could they have the resources tounch another campaign into the wildnds?

    It was possible that many things have changed since he was back there in the Kazzat kingdom. After all, he was just a child no more than 11 years old before he was sent to the magic tower.

    He was certainly not aware enough to understand the political situation around him. Moreover, the old Esdras was too obsessed with bing a mage and didn''t pay attention to his homnd at all.

    He couldn''t be med for that, after all, he was just a kid. What could you have known?

    At least for the time being, he was getting a clearer picture of what was going on around him. Redthorn I was beginning to disy is usefulness.

    In time he will be able to spread a spywork throughout the kingdom. Esdras had no intention to risk going there for the time being without understanding the situation at least.

    He thanked David for his help and gave him several of his improved cantrips. Although they were friends, such a big help shouldn''t be done so freely.

    Besides, they were also mages, they must abide by the rule of equivalent exchange somewhat at least.

    Esdras sat alone thinking for a moment before sighing in defeat. He had been thinking about his future for a long time, and after getting here and gathering as much information as possible, he came to a depressing conclusion.

    Although it was the middle of the day, he picked up bottle of wine and chugged it at once. He had to ept reality and move on.

    ¡­.

    This was an extremely wide and majestic study.

    It was adorned with decadent furnishings, ornately carved mahogany desks and chairs, velvet curtains, and lush carpets.

    The walls were be painted in various colors and textures, while paintings and fine art lined them. A tall, grande chandelier hanged from the ceiling, andrge windows would survey the exterior.

    The desk was covered with fancy knick-knacks and delicate china, and a delicate, ornate clock graced the mantle. Overhead, regal ceilings panels helped draw attention to the luxurious office and add to the sophisticated style of the office.

    But of course, it had to be at least of this level, because this was the personal study of one of the 13 council members of the Octarine tower. The Great mage Meerh, a personal disciple of a Master mage.

    Her long red hair gracing her shoulders and her dark eyes holding a promise of danger. The mage robes she wore revealed just enough of her curves to tantalize those who looked at her, but most underestimated the danger she could wield.<novelnext></novelnext>

    On this day, she was seated in her luxurious study, a cup of tea in her hand as she waited for her much-anticipated meeting with a certain apprentice.

    ncing around the room, she noticed how the afternoon sun illuminated the purple and golden sheen of the walls, the shelves lined with ancient tomes and her beloved spell ingredients, and of course, the intricate magical formation that was carefully put together from the remains of the ancient Empire.

    As she sipped her tea, Meerh awaited the arrival of the student in her study, her attention focused on the task at hand. Although her beauty may have thrown some off-guard, beneath her alluring exterior was a strength and power she was not afraid to use to aplish her mission.

    For those brave enough to join her, they would find great rewards. For those foolish enough to refuse, they would confront a dangerous wrath. She knew that he woulde to her in the end, for that were a few things in this world that she could not have.

    Although the position of the Crimson faction was not at an all time high, the danger has long past, and now they were recovering quickly. There was no one who could mock them openly again.

    Even her traitorous fellow disciples who abandoned her, could not find fault with her. She did not need them. Did not need anyone. As long as she lived, she would grow stronger, and eventually one day she will achieve her goal without a doubt.

    But for now, Meerh sat in her study, a majestic and powerful queen waiting for her apprentice to arrive. A drop of amber liquid shivered at the sides of her cup as she waited intently, her dark eyes conveying the powerful force thaty behind her friendly fa?ade.

    Her charms, wit and sex-appeal was known throughout thend, but those familiar with her true self knew that behind her exterior was a core of steel that could not be broken.

    The door creaked open, revealing a figure shrouded in dark red robes. A hood covered their face for a moment, before it was drawn back to reveal a youthful face, although she knew he was no more than 16 he looked more like 19 or 20 years old, illuminated by thete morning sun that streamed through the window.

    The eyes of the figure were bright and sharp and he carried himself confidently as he stepped into the Great mage''s study. His dark blue eyes and blond hair gave him a charm that captivated others.

    The Great mage, who had been sitting quietly in her chair, sat up straight and narrowed her eyes. She had been expecting this meeting.

    Before anything he stopped at an appropriate distance and ced his right palm over his heart before bowing slightly.

    "Good evening, master." He greeted steadily, "I havee to negotiate my position in your service."

    Meerh seemed taken aback for a moment. Although she had vested interest in recruiting Esdras to her camp, and they were indeed here for that she didn''t expect him to be so straightforward.

    But then again, she wasn''t really used to negotiations or such tedious things. However, Esdras was clearly aware of his own value.

    This conversation was bound to y an important role in his future career, he was determined to get what he came here for. To be appointed as a guardian.

 Chapter 119 Guardian

    At first Esdras aimed to be an alchemist. His n was almost perfect. But life is not that convenient.

    Alchemists were respected, and admired within the medicalmunity, because of their ability to create mana potions. Most importantly, they had an irreceable value.

    Low supply and high demand.

    It would make sense for him to aim for this position, not only because of the previous reasons, but also because it was a gold minting machine.

    It would be a perfect ce for him to sell the potions he acquired from the dungeon while reducing this suspicion that would be pointed at him.

    Of course, people would be suspicious that he alone managed to create not one but two new potions. The Octarine tower would probablyunch an investigation into him.

    But it will probably be only for show. Being the only one who knew the form to the two new potions would make the executives hesitant to displeased him.

    After all being a member of the tower himself, he would benefit the tower greatly by selling to them at cheap prices.

    However, aftering back to the tower for the past few days, he discovered a troublesome fact. Perhaps it was best to call it devastating to his original n.

    The Alchemists were extremely secretive and unnecessarily, mysterious, but he was still able to catch a glimpse of some of them while touring the tower''s facilities.

    And he noticed a disturbing fact amon factor among all of the alchemist was that they all possessed the same Trait, when he checked their stats. That trait was called, Transmutation.

    After digging around, he remembered being tested for his aptitude for alchemy when he was epted into the tower back then.

    Thanks to this information he was able to infer that not just any mage could be an alchemist.

    He talked to the pharaoh about it and he exined that the alchemists of this world were like real alchemist, they were mages using low-tire transmutation magic. They did not have the Alchemist ss.

    He also added mysteriously that Esdras could be an alchemistter if he wanted.

    Esdras guessed that it was probably rted to the evolution of the world as effect of the convergence. Higher level sses, and all sorts of magics will be avableter on.

    In any case, these events were for a different time. For now, his ns had to be readjusted.

    Esdras sat opposite to the Great mage and smiled politely, "I won''t beat around the bush, I want the position of a guardian."

    Meerh''s expression which wasposed as expected of a high ranking mage was startled at his outrageous demand.

    "Apprentice Esdras." The Great mage said after calming down, "you are still young so I will chock these words up to ignorance. Do you know what a guardian is?"

    ? Esdras felt himself drenched in cold sweat, clearly the Great mage thought that his words were an insult. This is just how absurd it was for him to ask for that position.

    "Master, I spoke recklessly, I had no intention to offend you." First he had to apologize, "however, please hear me out. I didn''t bring this up without doing my research."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Speak, but mind your words. I need not remind you that the prestige of the tower is sacred to us."

    A guardian was such a high position that usually only Great mages could hold it. Of course there were some exceptions here and there, and that was what he was aiming for.

    What did Esdras need the most right now? Two things, spells and an isted ce where he could research ner travel.

    Any other position would have him be under someone else who could summon him or dismiss him at will. His research might even be in jeopardy if it was exposed to untrustworthy eyes.

    He had too many secrets to stay within the tower, his research could never be done here. It was simply too dangerous.

    Guardians had the responsibility to oversee certain areas and maintain the interest of the tower. They were dispatched to certain locations and have the authority to recruit disciples, attend meetings to represent the tower with other powers.

    Depending on the location, they could also be tasked to maintain certain seals or advanced research and development of certain magical forces.

    More importantly, this was a genuinely high position. You could confidently say that only the position of a councilman was higher than a guardian.

    So if a newly graduated apprentice ask for such a position, it was no wonder that the great mage thought it was an insult, or perhaps a joke.

    Not only did heck the necessary power. He alsocked a great deal of experience.

    "I am not asking to oversee an important location or be tasked to guard a great seal. I know I am not worthy. I will take care of a nameless ce that no one wants."

    "And where would such a ce be?" Meerh asked.

    "The eastern border of the Kazzat kingdom. It''s a barren ce without any resources, I just want to spend my time on magical research without anyone bothering me."

    Meerh frowned, these words did not make any sense to her. Such a young mage would not think in such a way most of the time at least. Instead, they would be excited to show off their newfound power and show off.

    "The answer is still no." She said, steel in her voice, "the location is not the only problem. The college of the Purple hand and the Secrets faction is over there."

    "Don''t you need someone to keep an eye on them and establish a foothold for our faction instead."

    His words must have had some effect as she went silent in thought.

    "Even so, there is no proper justification..."

    "There is." Esdras''s eyes gleamed with a cold light as he smiled, "the territory I want is my own rightful birthright, I happen to be anded noble of that very area in east Kazzat. Who would object? By all thews of gods and men it belongs to me."

    He could see that this did the trick. Of course, only a desperate faction like the Crimson faction who has ambitions to expand would even consider his proposal.

 Chapter 120 Offer

    Although the entire Sarifal region is under the control of the Octarine tower, it was not the only magic force within said region.

    There are a few organizations that call Sarifal their home as well, naturally they all exist as vassals to the Octarine tower and pay tributes, taxes and respect to the tower in return for protection.

    ¡­ and for being allowed to continue existing, of course. But that was just a minor detail.

    One of these organizations was the college of the Purple hand. Their headquarters was in the Kazzat kingdom and they had the most influence there as well.

    The Octarine tower did not see these vassals as threats at all, but they were not fools either, that was why they made sure to suppress them at every turn.

    Keeping a close eye on their movements was always necessary.

    Next was, the tower of Secrets, one of the five factions of the Octarine tower had the most presence and influence in Kazzat.

    Most notably, the court mage of Kazzat was the councilman, Yorrick the blind. Although he was known for being mysterious and secretive so not many people knew what he was up to.

    If Meerh found a suitable pretext through Esdras to get a foothold in Kazzat then she could take one more step forward in restoring the lost influence of the Crimson faction.

    It could also show that she was bold and brave.

    It was only after understanding everything that he could get his hands on that Esdras made this risky proposal, this is why he waited and deliberated on his best course of action before having this meeting.

    "I can see that you thought this through." Meerh sighed looking a little impressed but then shook her head.

    "Unfortunately the answer is still no."

    Esdras closed his eyes for a moment and breathed out in an attempt to calm himself. "Can you tell me why?"

    "Esdras, since you thought of things so far, I am sure you already know why. You can''t cover up yourck of experience and most importantly your low level."

    Meerh tapped the table with her nail causing a ringing noise, "even with all of the points you made, it is still outrageous to hand you such a position."

    "I may be weak right now, but I will grow at an unprecedented rate, I assure you."

    Esdras was not saying empty words nor was he joking.

    "I am d that you are confident in your self, that is good. But my concerns are too many. Think about it what will people say if I give you such a position out of nowhere? Not to mention the mages who are already many years of faithful service at my side. It would creat too much chaos."

    Esdras knew she was right, it was a long shot. In fact, this was a side that did not ur to him, even for her it would be too selfish of him to make her take such a risk for an unknown apprentice like him.

    While he did perform well so far, these were just not enough. Above all, he was too weak to hold that position even in a remote region.

    "¡­ why don''t you tell me what the conditions you are looking for and I will see what I can do?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    The question awoke him from his thoughts and he was momentarily stunned and didn''t know what to say.

    "Did you think you could hide your thoughts from me? It''s fine if you have something you want to do. With your talent and achievements so far it''s only natural for you to get special treatment. There is no need to try and mask your intentions."

    Esdras was embarrassed slightly, now that she said that he wondered if he was too careful? Sometimes being over cautious could be a hurdle and instead cause harm.

    "You need a quite environment, probably for research or spell construction. You also don''t n on being a busybody and running around. That is my guess, am I right?"

    Esdras nodded. She hit the nail on the head.

    "If possible, I want to be stationed close to my own territory. There maybe a secret rebellion lead by my uncle to steal my birthright, being away from my subjects alienated me from them. As you can image I am a little anxious about that."

    "What?! Some fucking peasants actually dare to rebel?! Unforgivable."

    The Great mage''s demeanor changed and her warm charm was reced by a churning volcano about to explode.

    "Alright, I think I have the perfect position for you. Actually, there is a guardian, not in Kazzat specifically but close to the east, beyond the border. I think they call it the wildnds."

    "The wildnds!"

    Esdras couldn''t help but exim.

    "Yes, but it''s more like a research facility, he spends his time looking for that secret city, the mist pce. Whatever it was called."

    "The holynd of the barbarians and demi-humans?!"

    Esdras, having grown up in that area knew a little bit about the folklore around the legend. It was a story about a missing city or a castle, it was unclear which.

    However it is said when the time came and it was found a great king will rise in the wildnds and he will lead the barbarians and demi-humans to conquer the continent starting an age of blood, glory and endless riches.

    It was never found and most people believe it to be a fake rumor that was spread out of control.

    But, to think that a Great mage chose to live in such an uncivilized ce in search of such a thing, it might have some credibility after all.

    "Calm down, he is just that kind of person. He spends his dayszing around without doing anything productive."

    Meerh clicked her tongue as she badmouthed her senior mercilessly but Esdras could tell that there was a touch of warmth in her eyes.

    "That is why, I will give you the position of a guardian''s personal steward. After you meet up with him just get back to your territory and do what you have to do. At most you just have to show him your face once or twice a year. How does that sound?"

 Chapter 121 Mood Swings

    "Yes, I think that sounds great. Thank you very much."

    Esdras was not an idiot to waste such a great deal so he stood up immediately and epted right there and then.

    He wouldn''t get a better offer than this from anyone else.

    Some might think of it as sneaky, others, would say much worse about him for using the weakness of the Crimson faction to his advantage but he didn''t care.

    This is how life works, while he used them they also made use of him. But he didn''t think it was anything to get worked up about.

    In fact, it was better that way. If he had no value then he would be just a waste. Forget making demands he wouldn''t even be able to set foot in this study.

    "Good. I assume you understand that this not something that just anyone can get, right?"

    "You expect something in return. I understand, that is only natural." Esdras nodded.

    However, Meerh surprised him as she burst intoughter for a moment.

    "Aha, sure, sure. But, you really can''t do much for me right now. I just meant for you to remember where your loyaltiesy."

    Suddenly the atmosphere went cold and Esdras felt his hair standing on ends. It was as if all the warmth in the world was gone reced by an endless winter.

    "I do not tolerate traitors."

    "I¡­ understand."

    Esdras mustered all of his strength to say those words, fortunately the cold disappeared as Meerh smile again.

    "Great, great. I hope you can finish up your business and grow strong enough to be of use to me. Also, when the timees please make sure to look after that idiot senior of mine. His disciples are with him but they''re all cut from the same cloth, you see why I would be concerned."

    "That is my duty, I will do my best with the esteemed guardian."

    Esdras smiled warily and inwardly wondered if this Great mage had a problem with her mood swings. She could be as sweet as summer sun one minute and a ring frost the next.

    Actually, she really didn''t need to threaten Esdras, he had no intention to renege on his words. And was very grateful that he got treated so well, he had a very high opinion of Meerh.

    While the other factions of the tower would make good offers and were stable, that was also the reason why he wouldn''t get the same level of treatment.

    Only, the crimson faction was willing to go to this extent. They were even willing to let him fool around for years before they called upon him.

    Naturally, Esdras wasn''t fooled, he knew that they would benefit greatly from touting his talent and name, raising their talent and prestige in the process as soon as he joined.

    "Alright." Meerh pped her hands twice and the crystal ball on the other desk floated to where they were sitting. She put her hand on the ball and it started glowing for a moment before the image of a young woman was projected.

    "Bring me the contract paper and the seal at once." Shemanded.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Yes, master. At once."

    The young woman didn''t blink as if it was a normal thing for her.

    "We''re going to sign now?" Esdras asked, stunned.

    "What else are we going to do? Might as well get it over with before you can change your mind."

    Esdrasughed he didn''t expect her to have a sense of humor.

    "But, shouldn''t we wait until after I passed the Rite of passage? I am not considered an official member of the tower yet¡­"

    "We both know it''s just a formality. Besides I will be leaving for the celebration in Seorie before the Rite. You wouldn''t want to sign with my representatives they''re a pain in the rear. Unless¡­ you n on changing your mind?"

    "No, no! I wouldn''t dare. I think you have the right of it, better sign now and get it over with."

    At the same time Esdras was sweating and thinking that this woman may have some serious abandonment issues.

    "But, what celebration in Seorie are you talking about? The siege is still ongoing thest I heard. Do you have other news."

    Of course, the truth was that Esdras wasn''t getting any news of the siege, he was watching it live for the past week through awork of Spy eyes he spread in the city during hia stay. Things were getting crazy out there.

    "Other news? Not really. I just got an invite for a victory celebration from Master mage Ashran, so it means it will be over by then." Meerh''s eyes gleamed in delight, "I happen to be the only one in the council to get an invite, if only you saw their faces whahaha."

    Maybe it was because the negotiations were over but Meerh''s started being much morefortable with him but he couldn''t join her in badmouthing the council. She was going to be fine but that was not the case for him!

    Also, was she the type of person to brag immediately after getting something good?

    Soon the contract was delivered and Meerh''s stared dictating the terms, he had no objection and there weren''t many details either, she didn''t try to cheat or anything but he still paid attention to every word.

    He nodded in satisfaction and signed his name while infusing the ink with his mana and spiritual energy.

    "How did you draw out your spiritual energy that quickly?"

    When he was done Meerh suddenly asked, Esdras blinked and them realized he slipped up. The reason it was like drinking water to him was because of his progress in the negative energy gathering technique.

    But, it was difficult for everyone else, this process wasn''t so simple otherwise mages would use it all the time to authenticate documents and identities. It was only rarely used in important matters.

    "W-was it supposed to be hard?" He asked in a fluster as if he didn''t understand. He decided to throw this on his talent.

    "I see, so there are things like that too?" Meerh had an understanding expression.

    Esdras return to his room and recounted the events of the war in Seorie. In his hand he had an ancient Elvennguage book, a gift from Meerh''s personal collection.

 Chapter 122 The Siege On Seroie

    During the age of the golden empire many schrs and mages dedicated their lives to studying the elves. Everything about them, fromnguage to culture and religion.

    Unfortunately their knowledge died with the destruction of the empire and the endless wars resulting after that.

    Many attempted to restore the knowledge which the world had lost back then but the results were underwhelming to say the least.

    Today schrs are still trying to put the pieces of lost history together, including the elves, once overlords of the world entire. Deciphering the mysteriousnguages and signs of the elves was a priority in this endeavor.

    However, they faced a wall not long after. That was, twonguages. The elves had used twonguages, at least that''s what they understood. Thenguages were namedmon elvish and ancient elvish.

    It turns out the elves were usingmon elvish for day to day tasks while ancient elvish was used for important matters. That is where the problems started.

    The linguists managed to understand most of themon elvish after generations of studying but...

    Ancient elvish remained unclear even now, at this point people just gave up on understanding it. But not mages, they were the most adamant about it and will never let it go, this is because any mage could sense that there was a strange and weird power in the ancient elven tongue.

    Basically the greatest secrets of the elves were within their reach but they didn''t have the ability to get their hands on them. It was too frustrating.

    Although most mages did not understand it, they still couldn''t let it go. Which is why many mages keep books such as they close by even though it was useless.

    Meerh said that she wasn''t interested in things like that so if he wanted it, she would give it to him as a gift for his first day.

    Esdras naturally wasn''t an expert in ancientnguages and he wouldn''t get any better results, the system didn''t have that kind of function anyway.

    But, the Pharaoh said that he wanted something like this and needed only a few days to learn it and teach it to Esdras. It was useful having an ancient evil sealed within your consciousness from time to time.

    Esdras remembered the events of the war in Seorie.

    On the first day, the orcs army approached the city and all went quite as the vast numbers brought an air of tension to the city, however the orcs made no attacks instead they made camp outside of the city''s walls, while the defenders make ready to hold their ground. The orcs then made several probing attacks against the walls, but without sess due to the magical barriers.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The magic barriers integrated into the walls were active at all times but they were usually operating at the lowest capacity due to the cost but during war these concerns faded away.

    The city had fifteen thousand well armed and disciplined soldiers, the defense is lead bymander Ricker. And the walls are reinforced by thirty mages inmand of various magical elements such as fire, water, wind and earth. They also have defensive engines such as Ballista, Catapult, and giant Scorpions.

    After determining that the orcs numbered no more than ten thousand themander made a stupid choice and on the dawn of the second day he opened the gates and led the men to meet the orcs in the field. Leaving only three thousand men to man the walls.

    This battle, Esdras didn''t see because it happened far away from the city walls, but he heard the reports of the soldiers on the battlements.

    Eventually the army fell into a trap as the orcs almost seeded in fooling them into a rout, a pincer attack from both sides isted the army from reinforcements and the city wall, it also closed their retreat path.

    Naturally, Belkazak did not have another army hidden away but that was in fact the effect of the five trolls that almost doomed the city on the second day.

    The five trolls seemed to tower over the orcs, standing several five meters tall on average with broad shoulders and arms that dragged upon the ground. Their faces were distorted and unearthly, sharp and bloated, with wild, yellow eyes that glowed with an evil and unnatural light.

    Their eerie presence caused the humans to tremble and shrink back in horror and dread, shouting out in panic with their beady ck eyes wide in terror. The trolls had a dark, oppressive air around them, as if a cloud of death had surrounded them, and a chill ran up the human spines that they could feel even from a distance.

    Because of the trolls ambushing the infantry after the cavalry charged at the orcs lines. The army''s order copsed even though the trolls couldn''t have had killed more than a thousand men in that time, even then that was enough to destroy the moral of an army.

    Fortunately the mages were able to open the path to the city using some extremely destructive magic. Often time mages were very careful in battles like these for fear of friendly fire which is why they were under strict order to hold back on big attacks. But in that situation they decided to ignore coteral damage and focus on retreating.

    Thanks to their quick actions the loses were reduced to only half of the army. This was also probably due to the fact that mages didn''t give a damn about mortals, as soon as the trolls showed up they were probably determined to return to the city walls.

    There were also other attacks on different gates which he wasn''t able to see but the lion gate was the main battlefield of this siege.

    However, the biggest loss of of the Calvary which the main army wasn''t able to back up as it copsed, this left them to be isted in the midst of the orcs. Resulting in total annihtion.

    This was the end of the second day. On the third day the attack on the walls included the trolls and the orc shamns.

 Chapter 123 Intense Battle

    Belkazack changed his tactics, sending wave after wave of orcs to hammer the walls and test their strength. The defenders hold off the wave long enough denying ess to orcs and preventing any further damage.

    The orcs rage at the walls, trying to smash them down with no luck. With their failure to breach the walls.

    The orc army begins the siege, Belkazak gives the orders to attack and five trolls step forward.

    Five imposing figures emerged from the orc army, eyes gleaming with malevolent intent. In the fading light of sunset they exuded an aura of dread and terror.

    Standing tall and spreading out from the orcs, their muscr frames were an intimidating sight.

    Their bald heads were adorned with ck horns, their massive "ws" hinting at their supernatural origins. Their huge tusk-like teeth added to their already frightening visage. Their skin, however, was what truly inspired awe and fear. It glowed an eerie purple and blue, as if some primeval power was emanating from them.

    These trolls were the stuff of nightmares, capable of instilling panic and terror in even the bravest of heart. No one Who encountered them ever forgot the experience.

    The trolls crash into the walls with heavy stone clubs, boulders and other materials. The weaker parts of the walls start to weaken under the assault, however the city is defended bravely by the guardians on the walls flinging burning pitch, ming arrows, stones and rocks.

    The attacks from the walls take a toll on the orcs, a good number of them fall as they charge at the wall. The orcs also hurl rocks, boulders at the wall and the archers make use of siege engines such as catapults, ballistae and trebuchets.

    These siege weapons were ordered to be built by Belkazack in thest two days. It seems like the shamans of the orcs have somehow used their powers to greatly expedite the construction process, and soon Belkazack has multiple towers he can use tounch assaults on the walls.

    It was not clear to Esdras what magic they used to make that possible and he couldn''t see that far he only heard this from themand unit on the walls, this made him regret not nting a few more Spy eyes outside the city.

    But it was already good enough, he didn''t have many of them left and he needed them forter. Unfortunately the dungeon was destroyed by the pharaoh and he didn''t know where to find more Creepers to increase the supply.

    At dusk, Belkazack orders his orcs to use the siege towers tounch catapults at the walls. The citizens of the city take shelter in their homes, as the stones and arrows rain down on the walls with relentless ferocity.

    The defenders respond in kind,unching fireballs, earth bs, and other magical spells in retaliation. After many hours of assault and defense, the walls are still standing and Belkazack is eventually forced to order a retreat.

    The citizens cheer and celebrate their victory, and the defenders set to work repairing the damage to the walls. The mages also help restore the magical barriers, ensuring that no future assaults can damage the walls.

    This continued for three more days and it was clear both sides were taking damage and growing weary, however this intense attack was proof that Belkazak was not going for a prolonged siege. He wanted the city as soon as possible.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This was actually the best choice as trying to starve the city out was not possible not to mention that reinforcements coulde to the city''s aid at any time, he was in foreignnd and isted, he was in a corner.

    Belkazack ispletely stymied in his efforts and is forced to find an alternate means of breaking into the city.

    Knowing that his enemy is now well prepared and fortified, he resumed his research of ways to find a magical weakness to the city defenses. Meanwhile, the people of the city work hard to strengthen their walls and fortifications in the event of a future attack.

    On the sixth day, the city was covered in a cloud of green smoke that started at dawn.

    The orcs brought massive cauldrons and started cooking living humans by the dozen, their screams sent shivers down any man no matter how hardened.

    The cauldrons bubbled with a green disgusting liquid and the seven orc shamans led by the great shaman were endlessly chanting. The great shaman was the second inmand and the right hand of king Belkazak, he had a remarkable staff adorned with colored skulls and bells.

    He was a very important figure in this war and was a high priority target that was part of Belkazak''s original tribe before he was king. It was even said that he whispers orders in the ear of the king and he obeys.

    This spell was the cause of the green smoke that has engulfed the city.

    The mages in the city realized it was not a good idea to let the smoke into the city when it passed through the magic barrier, they tried using wind magic and other methods but nothing worked.

    As angry as they were they chose to ignore the provocation of the orcs and didn''t make the mistake of opening the gates and attacking on the field again.

    The green cloud didn''t seem to have any effect at first but the soldiers were growing extremely paranoid and restless while the orcs were cooking and eating human, feasting in in sight of the walls without ever getting to close or attacking.

    Suddenly in the afternoon, the soldiers rebelled.

    Well, it wasn''t right to call a rebellion as it was not organized in the least, it was a riot. The soldiers and many of the citizens started killing, stealing, raping and burning at random.

    Chaos began to consume the city as only a few managed to maintain their sanity. This would have been the perfect time tounch a surprise attack.

    Belkazak would have done so but he was not doing so well either.

 Chapter 124 Guest

    The orcs were waiting for this moment of chaos desperately and weren''t actually aszy and careless as they seemed.

    In fact the majority of them had their armor and weapons in hand, their lines formed in what seemed like and instant and just as the orcs were gearing up to take the city once and for all something fell from the sky.

    It was a massive boulder that instantly crushed dozens and dozens of orcs that were in battle formations, but that was not all, great amounts of oil spilled out of the boulders.

    These weren''t natural boulders as they were clearly perfectly round, conjured by earth mages and hollowed from the inside.

    Soon, fire rained from the sky and ignited a terrible storm of fire that consumed the lives of thousands of orcs. The smoke blinded the orcs and caused their breathing to be harder and harder reducing their effectiveness.

    Obviously, receiving or giving any orders in this situation was a joke. It was a deadly strike that incapacitated themand chain of the orc army.

    From the sky, covered by the clouds twenty mages were riding pegasus and firing spells endlessly. They dived down and rose back up for cover as they unleashed a horrific barrage that was reminiscent to carpet bombing.

    A few of them targeted the cauldrons destroying all of them in a lightning-quick attack, however the shamans were enraged and started firing green ghastly mes that seemed to defy the rules of gravity, perfectly targeting some of the flying mages.

    Their retaliation was cut short as they were surrounded by a tornado that was quickly closing in on them. Without realizing it they were in the eye of the storm.

    Esdras was rmed at this spell, as it the tornado was actually made bybining thousands of wind baldes, passing through orcs or siege weapons it had the effect of a meat grinder, even the earth was shaved down a few centimeters.

    Seeing this spell, Esdras knew it was the doing of a Great mage for sure. Even if mages tried working together they wouldn''t be able to do something like this unless they had a lot of time on their hands.

    The shamans created a shield of green mes that momentarily protected them. The great shaman was protected in the center by the other as he chanted without rest atst just when he thought they were done for he opened his eyes and the storm suddenly stopped, he roared and it scattered everywhere.

    However, in thest minute the remnants of the wind des converged and sliced up two of the shamans that lowered their guards.

    The Great mage in the sky was shooting several Air canons at the army and killing several hundred every minute.

    The orcs tried shooting the mages from the sky but with the limited visibility and the speed at which the pegasus were going at, it would be a miracle if one of themnded a shot.

    Meanwhile another Great mage, this one wielding fire killed two trolls with giant fire swords and incinerated their heads preventing their regeneration ability from taking effect however she was fatally wounded by another troll and chased down by Belkazak''s lieutenants.

    A whistle signaled a retreat but when the wind Great mage tried to leave he was suddenly cleaved in two by a giant ancient looking axe that had many strange drawings. The axe returned to the hand of its savage wielder, a hulking orc that could easily be mistaken for a troll. Belkazak.

    This was the axe of storms, the personal weapon of Belkazak himself.

    This scene shocked the city and even the orcs army, which then irrupted into cheers!<novelnext></novelnext>

    A Great mage died without even being able to resist. Or so it seemed, Esdras who was viewing this scene couldn''t help but fee that it was strange, the Great mage should have been able to defend himself and even counter attack.

    Was it just bad luck? Was Belkazak and his weapon just that strong?

    Could be. No, Belkazak was definitely powerful, even through this distance Esdras could tell that it was a formidable rank 3 monster, equivalent to a Great mage but¡­

    But, he noticed something just when the Great mage was about to die his movements stiffed and his eyes shed green for a moment.

    But that was all it took. A single moment for a great mage to die.

    The mages is retreated to the city in miserable condition one great mage was dead and the other was heavily wounded.

    In exchange, several key individuals in the orcish army were dealt with, moreover the orcish army was shredded to a quarter of their original numbers in a single raid.

    Fortunately, the green cloud over the city was dissipated which restored order in the city atst.

    The orcs and the humans were both in a sorry state at the moment.

    This battle served as an eye-opener for Esdras as he got a first-hand experience on what a battle was like in this world, and it was indeed brutal. The tactics used were suited to a fantasy world indeed.

    The use of spells and ambush tactics was extremely effective, even against ces, protected by magic barriers, the spells of mages were unrivaled as long mages could maintain a safe distance.

    However, mages were not invincible, especially in the face of direct physical attacks. This is where the weaknesses of mages ys a crucial role.

    The sky ambush was a desperate attempt in the first ce, if the green cloud hadn''t put them in that situation the mages wouldn''t have taken the risk of such an action.

    Esdras ended his recollection andid down on his bed after a long day of practice and training.

    What was happening there was important but it was not as important as his own business.

    Suddenly there was a knock on his door. Esdras groaned and got up to open the door.

    "Hhm?¡­ you are?"

 Chapter 125 Rude Encounter

    Esdras was jolted from his bed by the sound of loud and insistent knocking on his door. He frowned, wondering who could be calling on him so aggressively in the middle of the day.

    Even his friends wouldn''t behave like this unless there was an urgent situation. Celine was yful but not annoying, it couldn''t be her.

    As he stood up from his desk and made his way to the door, he couldn''t help but feel a sudden sense of foreboding. The knocking continued, louder and more insistent than ever, until he finally reached the door and flung it open.

    But it was not anyone he knew, they were two strangers.

    "Hhm?¡­ you are?" He asked carefully.

    They were two people outside of his room, a huge and imposing man, his presence seemed to overpower the surroundings and exuded a great authority. To the side and a step behind him was a fit but petite woman with short hair and frown that made her look dissatisfied all the time.

    "Do you have no manners?! Great mage Lent Fayner is here personally and what do you do? Just stare, and not even invite us in?"

    The woman scolded him, her voice was high and annoying but she also introduced the man as a Great mage.

    The sudden turn of events took him by surprise but before he could say anything Lent Fayner and the woman pushed past him casually and into his room. His long ck cloak billowed behind him, and his hair was slicked back in a severe style that made his sharp features all the more intimidating.

    Esdras was taken back with anger, this was an extremely rude intrusion but that also made him feel what kind of man Lent was, his arrogance and entitlement was in to see.

    The bad feeling he felt settled in his stomach, this was not going to be a friendly conversation. Nheless he must absolutely not offended a Great mage unwittingly.

    "Aah, please excuse my rude behavior, I was simply in awe that someone of my humble station would be visited by such an esteemed personage. Please have a seat."

    Although he said that, Lent already took a seat on the fancy chairs in the living room.

    "A trivial matter," Lent waved his hand, "forget about that. Although my talkative attendant already said it, I will introduce myself again, I am Lent Fayner, a great mage and I happen to be the grand vault keeper of the tower of secrets."

    It was a simple introduction but it was enough to show Lent''s power and influence. Esdras was able to remember him now, he heard about him a few times, he is the right hand-man of councilor Yoric.

    "I am Esdras Varthos, I am an apprentice at the moment. It''s a great honor, if you had summoned me instead of troubling yourself toe here personally."

    "Clearly, it''s not great enough of an honor for you to serve some tea."

    The woman standing behind Lent, his attendant as he introduced her was obviously not the type to let people talk in peace and she enjoyed mocking him clearly judging by her condescending tone.

    "Erina!" The great mage scolded not too harshly, "we are guests here, pointing out the host''sck of manners again and again is not appropriate¡­ despite how right you may be."

    Esdras felt his temper ring up, but he managed to keep himself from saying anything. This bastard looked like he was scolding her on the surface but in reality he was approving of her words and even insulting him along with her.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Although he suppressed his outburst, he no longer cared about hearing what Lent was hear to say. He had no desire to entertain Lent''s demands for proper hospitality.

    "I am sorry if I''ve offended you, master, but I was not expecting any guests today."

    His words were polite but this time there was a firm edge to his attitude.

    "Could it be¡­ you''re saying I am an uninvited guest?" Lent asked, no longer looking as amused as he was a moment ago.

    "You insolent cur! How dare-"

    The woman was clearly unable to contain her rage and killing intent seeped out of her in waves towards him. Esdras''s eyes widened, he didn''t think she would actually be crazy.

    The killing intent was so dense that Esdras even had the illusion that he was in a battlefield.

    ''This bitch! How many people did she kill!''

    Esdras couldn''t fight her and Lent together but if it came to it he wasn''t afraid. Although he didn''t want to use it in such a ce he had a trump card that he obtained after clearing the dungeon.

    It was strong enough to kill any rank three being, even if something went wrong he was at least confident of escaping.

    However the killing intent disappeared, Lent raised his hand and Erina returned back to normal.

    "It is clear that you have much to learn about proper etiquette and respect for your elders," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "But we can discuss thatter. Right now, why don''t we talk about serious matters, apprentice Esdras?"

    "That would be for the best." Esdras sat down and nodded, he wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

    "Well, I have heard much regarding you. I also noticed a great difference between the reports about you for thest five years and a great discrepancy in thest few months. It''s almost as if¡­ you''re apletely different person."

    Esdras had an understanding expression on his face and nodded along, "ah, it''s something I''ve heard frequently from quite a few people. Well, I really don''t have much to say about that, it just happened. I''ve thought about it and I can''t give a logical reason, but I think that humans can surpass our own expectations of ourselves, don''t you agree?"

    Lent had a stoic expression on his face, "oh, yes. I agreepletely. Still I can''t help but feel slightly ufortable that we had such wrong readings. Well, things like this happen from time to time."

    "Well, if that is all, then¡­"

    "That is not all, in fact." Lent interrupted forcefully.

 Chapter 126 New Enemy

    Although Esdras knew that his rise in power was bound to attract suspicions he thought it was over already. And yet it looks like the issue was not easy to brush off to the point that an important figure got involved.

    Evidently Esdras was not concerned that they would find anything against him, his possession of this body wouldn''t get exposed with the investigation methods of this low level world.

    Furthermore, Esdras alreadypleted his assimtion to this body and the spirit of the original host thanks to the divine shard. It would be truly extraordinary if they found out the truth.

    Esdras had nothing to worry about in this regard but nheless he was still vexed that some dogs were sniffing at his past.

    "Actually, you introduced yourself as an apprentice but we both know that is not the entire truth, right? Well, how you got here, whether it''s a mistake on our part or not doesn''t matter. I will apud you on your achievements so far, we appreciate talents such as yours in the Secrets faction."

    Esdras raised his eyebrows at the sudden change in tune to the point that he wondered if this was still the same person who ridiculed him not even a whole minute ago.

    More importantly, it seems his fears weren''t in the right ce, Lent wasn''t here to investigate him, he was here to offer him a job. This was both good and bad.

    Good because it''s clear he didn''te here to humiliate him for fun or to look into things best left alone.

    Bad, because Esdras was already affiliated with someone else. He had a feeling Lent wasn''t a man to take rejection with an open heart.

    Moreover, this Lent guy was not as simple as he portrayed himself to be. At first nce he seemed careless and reckless but in truth what he did since he came to this room was a form of psychological suppression method to gain the upper hand from the get-go.

    Then he brought up an unrted issue to throw him off guard and finally he started randomlyplimenting him. This would have created an atmosphere where Esdras would agree to whatever terms Lent wanted to gain his approval and dispel the initial negative impression.

    This is why he visited so suddenly. He even got his little bitch to participate in his little y.

    It was an excellent strategy, if used against any other apprentice he would have gotten what he wanted by now. But he chose the wrong target this time.

    "You mean to say¡­"

    Esdras probed carefully.

    "I mean we could use your talents." Lent smiled triumphantly as if he could see his n working as he intended. "We think that you will be a great fit for our¡ª"

    However he didn''t get the chance to pitch his offer as he was interrupted by Esdras immediately.

    "I have no intention of offending you, master Lent." Esdras said carefully as if he was unsure of himself, "but I will have to reject your offer."

    Lent''s expression crumbled and he frowned deeply, "you have yet to hear my offer. If you think it''s not to your liking we can see what works out."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I-I-I absolutely can''t. This is my final answer." Esdras stuttered as if he couldn''t speak properly.

    Lent leaned forward and his face began to grow red with anger, "calm down and exin yourself. What is causing you such distress? Are you worried that you haven''t passed the Rite of passage? It''s not a problem at all."

    "That''s not it." Esdras said with a final sigh as if resigned to his fate. "I actually joined with the Crimson faction already, Master Meerh gave my an offer yesterday and I took it. This is why I can''t ept your offer."

    "¡­what?" Lent looked shocked genuinely for a moment, "they were faster? No, that''s not the point, you actually joined with that pathetic Crimson faction!"

    Esdras just sat there and didn''t say anything, however on the inside he was actually enjoying Lent''s panic. He could see now Lent was determined to get him today but he was shocked that he was a step toote and as if that was not enough he was actually beaten by the Crimson faction which he looked down on so much.

    "No matter, it''s nothing that can''t be fixed, just resign." Lent suddenly said.

    It was Esdras''s turn to be stunned, he couldn''t believe that Lent would actually suggest such a thing seriously. He didn''t even start day one and he wanted him to resign with one order? What a joke!

    "You must be joking, master. I signed the contract with the councilor herself. It would be extremely offensive, don''t you think?"

    Esdras was having a hard time maintaining a respectful demeanor.

    "I am not, the Crimson faction is the weakest and can''t offer you much in the long run. They don''t have a Master mage at the helm, that is more than enough reason to not waste your talent with the likes of them."

    Esdras sighed deeply and bowed, "although I appreciate your offer and encouragement, I still signed a contract with my honor on the line I can''t just do whatever I want. I would like to work for the Crimson faction and see where it takes me."

    In fact even if he didn''t sign a deal already, he wouldn''t have agreed to work under someone like Lent either way.

    Esdras shifted ufortably under Lent''s hard gaze, already knowing his true motive. Locking eyes with Lent, he rified that he had already signed a contract to join another faction. He could feel the tension and hostility rolling off the great mage in waves.

    Lentughed in disbelief. "You made a foolish decision, boy. But I suppose it can''t be helped now," he said, his voice dripping with an arrogant superiority.

    He made a gesture of dismissal before turning and stalking out of the room, his stance and expression conveying his disgust and contempt for the apprentice mage. With that, he mmed the door shut, leaving a deafening silence in his wake.

    He made a dangerous enemy today.

    Esdras deted in his seat and sighed, it was not over. Lent was the type of person to perceive an insult where there''s none, he wouldn''t forget this.

    Even worse, in Kazzat the most powerful force was the Secrets faction. In the future he will have to deal with Lent.

 Chapter 127 Nearing 1st Threshold

    "But why can''t I use the draw four card to make the next person draw six?" Daylen asked in frustration.

    Esdras had invited four of his friends over for dinner and a game night. When dinner was done, Esdras took out a deck of Uno cards and began to exin the game.

    He had these cards custom made with great difficulty, if not for his identity as a member of the magic tower and the fact that he gave clear instructions and designs for the cards he wouldn''t have seen the cards for a year at least.

    Celine, David, Daylen, and Vivi looked at each other, a bit confused. Esdras demonstrated how the game is yed by shuffling the cards and dealing them out. Since they were all people who participated in the escort mission together they grew closer as a result.

    He exined that each yer would draw and discard cards. He went over colors, numbers, and the four special action cards.

    As the four of them began to y, Esdras kept an eye on the game and was ready to answer any questions they might have. He was patient and made sure everyone was getting the rules.

    Esdras and the others were in the living room of his apartment. The room is filled withughter as the friends gather around arge table. On the table are four decks of colorful Uno cards, ready to be shuffled.

    Esdras began exining the rules of the game, as the other four friends listen intently. He exins which cards are used, how the points are tallied, and what actions are avable for each move. Celine, David, Daylen and Vivi can hardly contain their excitement as they apud Esdras for his thorough lesson.

    "How could you have thought of such a detailed system?" Vivi asked in astonishment, "you must have a lot of free time while the rest of us are busy preparing for the Rite of passage. I''m so envious!"

    "Hehe hehe," Esdras chuckled, "do still need me to spell it out? I''m a genius, a genius I say!"

    "How wonderful," Daylen sighed in mncholy, "I still remember when this great genius used to get beaten ck and blue¡­ I wish I could have a near death experience too!"

    Esdras''s eyebrows twisted, "that can be arranged I assure you."

    "Oh, that sounded ominous just now, please spare him o''powerful mage!" David mocked along and Celineughed too.

    "Can you guys not bring up my dark past or what? You know what? I will exin the rules as we y but don''t me me for being merciless!"

    Esdras was determined to crush these insolent fools.

    "Esdras, don''t be so petty!" Celineined to Esdras but he wasn''t going to budge on this.

    It''s Vivi''s turn to y first, and she confidently deduces which card to pick from her deck. Esdras is hovering near the table, providing assistance and aiding in the nning of moves when it''s Celine''s turn. He exined to her the advantages of matching a color or making a reverse move, and points out that it''s better to do this earlier in the game.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Theughter and excitement of the yers grew as turns went by. They were beginning to understand how to y. Vivi even yelled out "UNO!" before anyone else did. The smiles that filled the room were contagious. The game was a sess, and their friendship was even stronger.

    Although it''s Esdras'' teaching that brought the game together, he''s dly taken a back seat to let the others y. He''s content to just watch, only entering the conversation again to offer tips and reminders of what''s been said previously. After he won the first game shamelessly¡­

    By the end of the game, the four friends have each taken something away from the game, thanks to Esdras'' knowledge. They thank him for taking the time to teach them, and watch as he briskly shuffles the cards for another round. The room is reverberated with cheerfulughter again as the game begins.

    This was a method to bring some entertainment to this world, after all, without the inte and a phone life is somewhat dull. At first it didn''t bother him because he was fighting for survival basically.

    After the group left Celine and Esdras spent some time together and had a wonderful night. She had her periodst week so they couldn''t be together but now she was fine and on Mother''s bane.

    This is a drug used by women to prevent pregnancies, she started using back when they got to the capital. This is why they could be a little more daring. Of course, the effects of the drug were not permanent, it wanes every month.

    It could also be reversed by another drug called Moon''s blood.

    In the morning Esdras woke up to the noise of Celine struggling and turning aggressively on the bed so he calmed her down and she went back to sleep after drinking some water.

    Celine has been having nightmares every night for the past two weeks and although Esdras asked her about them she didn''t want to talk about it and he didn''t force the issue.

    Seeing as he couldn''t go back to sleep he washed up and started meditating. For the past week he didn''t stop using Tara and as a result his negative energy soared exponentially.

    The pharaoh told him that he was close to achieving the first threshold.

    He was practicing using illusion in daily life on everyone and it was a great sess, he could add an extra object that didn''t exist in the minds of others. He couldn''t change too much or the skill will fail.

    Telekinesis was was also doing great, he could hold a man in the air for a few minutes.

    As for possession he didn''t try it out as it was too dangerous and he didn''t want to take such a risk in the headquarters of the Octarine tower. To be honest he didn''t feel veryfortable with this skill.

    After achieving the first threshold, the increase in the quality of each skill wasn''t the only thing that will happen. He will also be able tobine the skills and use them in tandem to greater effect.

    Unfortunately the second threshold was also thest level he could achieve without being consumed by the negative energy.

 Chapter 128 Way-Gates Of The Ancient Elves

    Esdras was fine with that, it''s not good to be too greedy besides he could figure something out until then.

    As for his breakthrough to the first threshold, it would take months for him toplete that jump even with Tara''s ''help''.

    The amount of negative energy needed was massive and Tara wasn''t providing as much negative energy as before. No matter how much he humiliated her it no longer worked, he even started getting a creepy feeling from hertely¡­

    If he didn''t need her for other things he would have disposed of her long ago.

    Anyway, she will prove just how useful she was soon, during the Rite of passage in a few days time.

    At first he thought of the Rite as something silly that he should get it over with but his need for negative energy could be solved very conveniently.

    Heheh

    There are many ways to expedite the process, why should he have to wait several months if he didn''t have to? He was a modern man after all, he had to think of practical solutions.

    Anyway. After his morning routine he and Celine stayed in bed watching the war in Seorie.

    After Esdras got his crystal ball, he found out that it had many uses not just video calls. It could be used to record scenes and sound, it could be used to store information for short periods of time as well.

    This feature is often used by mages to record vital information while in the middle of an important experiment. The crystal ball was a very useful item, only it was a hassle to carry it around lightly due to its size.

    This was not a problem for Esdras because he had a Storage ring.

    Anyway, he found a way to project the scenes transmitted to his mind by the Spy eyes to the crystal ball, as long as he had enough mana. This was also a good way tobine entertainment and practice at once.

    Celine was shocked at first but then she was engrossed in the show.

    The war grew only crazier since hest checked on it, there were several times when he thought that the city was going to fall for real.

    The magic barrier and the gate were broken in one charge that the orcs rushed into the city and were only driven out a dayter. At that point the soldiers were exhausted and on the verge of losing moral.

    But that is when the king arrived personally, d in golden ck te armor and astride his warhorse he joined the soldiers on the wall and even helped treat the wounded.

    Soon moral improved and the people in the back were even cheering "King of dragons!" "King of dragons!" "King of dragons!".

    The king was an old but strong-looking man with a white well trimmed beard and his presence inspired power. The g of the kingdom depicting the silhouette of a man riding a dragon seemed to have his reflection in it.

    He wasn''t alone, the grand princes, the kings royal brothers came along too. And some of the crown prince''s brothers, Esdras had met them back then.

    The crown prince himself wasn''t in attendance, he and Calvin took off with an army to subdue the corrupt Baron long ago.

    Esdras shook off hisziness and used his newfound identity to purchase several trinkets from the Octarine tower.

    The Prince rewarded all of the team with tons of gold and he got a lot more, so he deposited the gold with a bank and turned it all into low grade mana stones. He only kept 20% for his expenses.

    When he was done running around he was alerted by a movement in his sea of consciousness and returned to his room in haste. This signal meant that the pharaoh was awake again after going into slumber to study the elvennguage.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You''re in luck," the pharaoh said with a snicker, "we found what we were looking for."

    Esdras couldn''t suppress his excitement, "are you saying what I think you''re saying?"

    "Yes, the elves were indeed otherworlders and they had the means by which they could travel to different worlds. I was able to crack their rune code, if we can get to a function Way-gate then I can use it no problem."

    Esdras high-fived himself since no one was there. "Fuck yeah!"

    "But, wait¡­ didn''t you say it was hard even for powerful being to travel between worlds? How can an entire civilization do it casually?"

    Right. He definitely said something like this.

    "I did say that, and it is still true. For a civilization to do something like this they had to pay a great price. It''s possible that their original world had a rating of 4.5 or higher. I don''t know what method they used but it''s not far fetched that they came up with a method that I didn''t know about."

    "Oh?" Esdras unintentionally leaked a noise of surprise.

    "What? You have something to say?" The pharaoh asked in anger.

    "No, it''s nothing. It''s just that¡­ I didn''t think you would say something like that."

    "Why not? I am still young and the Great void is endless how could I know everything there is to know?"

    Wow. Esdras thought he was just a grumpy old man but it turns of he was much more reliable than he appeared.

    "What did you just think about me brat?!"

    Esdras was caught red-handed, "I told you not to read my thoughts you old demon!"

    "I don''t have to, your simple thoughts are not that hard to predict."

    "Fine, let''s get back to business. So where can we find this Way-gate?"

    "How should I know? That''s on you. I would think it can be found in important elven cities or something."

    "But, there are no more elven cities in this age. Not since four thousand years ago."

    "How should I know?"

    "Fine, but what are the chances of finding a functioning gate in a ruin? It''s impossible."

    Esdras''s mind was running through all of the possibilities but things weren''t looking too good.

    "Don''t be stupid, we had nothing before, now we have a very good idea of what to look for. Besides, even if we find barely anything it''s a step in the right direction for us."

 Chapter 129 The Master Mage Makes His Move

    Esdras nodded, his luck wasn''t bad so far and he now had a direction to look into. With a little bit more luck he could have this problem solved much faster than he expected.

    The next few days passed by quickly and Esdras kept a close eye on the situation in Seorie. It was not his kingdom but it was important to him.

    After all, he made an important royal connection with the crown prince, it would be terrible if something happened to his friend and one of his backers.

    More importantly, it was in this kingdom where the first dungeon in the world appeared. It was a significant ce indeed.

    There was also something that the prince said which bothered him, he talked about a group of seers who worked in the royal observatory that faced execution for a prediction, they made which angle of the king who has been patient with them so far.

    The prediction they made was; the destruction of Seorie.

    It was obvious why the king would be angry at hearing such words when the orcs were waging war at them, if such sentiments spread they could lead to their cause being lost before it even began.

    This was also the culmination of the scheme that he noticed done by the humans to lure in the orcs deeper within the kingdom. He wanted to see exactly why they used such a method.

    Looking at things so far, nothing seemed out of ce, the siege look at nothing more than meets the eye. The desperation of both sides was real.

    The final battle for the city happened one day before the Rite of passage.

    The city, and the defenders were clearly defeated although the orcs retreated, they did not do so out of fear. Instead, they pulled out to prepare for the final charge.

    There was no trickery or schemes involved, with only 5000 orcs left in the army they made the final charge.

    There was no way they could fail that were barely a few hundred soldiers on the walls, most were dead and the rest were so he really wanted that they were between life and death.

    Even the King and the rest of the Royals could not do anything in this situation.

    Panic, and fear took hold of the city as the citizens resigned themselves to their fate.

    As the orc army closes in on the city, the defenders prepare themselves for the final battle. But just as all hope seems lost, a figure emerges from the shadows. It is the master mage, whose power and reputation have preceded him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Physically, the master mage is an imposing figure. He is tall and broad-shouldered, with a mane of wild, unkempt hair that seems to glow with an inner light. His eyes are dark and intense, and seem to bore right through the souls of those who look upon him. He wears a long robe of deep earthy hues, made from the finest silks and adorned with intricate designs of twisting vines and leaves.

    As he steps forward, the master mage''s power is palpable. The air around him crackles with energy, and a low rumble can be heard from deep within the earth.

    The soldiers and citizens who have gathered around him feel a surge of hope and awe. They know that this is the man who will save them from certain destruction.

    "You have endured well, now it is my turn to show that justice will always prevail!"

    The master mage speaks in a low,manding voice that carries across the battlefield. He reassures the soldiers and citizens that he will do everything in his power to protect them, and that they need not fear the orc army any longer.

    He urges them to stand behind him and to believe in the power of the earth itself.

    As the orc army charges forward, the master mage begins to chant a spell. His voice rises in power and intensity, and the earth beneath their feet begins to tremble. Suddenly, great walls of stone rise up on all sides, encircling the army and trapping them inside.

    The soldiers and citizens watch in wonder as the master mage unleashes his power. They feel a renewed sense of hope and faith in their own abilities, and they begin to fight back against the orc army with renewed vigor. They know that, with the master mage on their side, they can ovee any obstacle and emerge victorious.

    Some of the orcs get covered in mud that gets inside their bodies from all over, their mouths, ears and nostrils alike. After that the mud hardens and an orc statue takes it''s ce.

    Some orcs get stabbed by earthen spears that grow out of the ground stabbing them to death.

    As the battle rages on, the master mage continues to use his power to turn the tide of the conflict. The soldiers and citizens watch in awe as he summons massive boulders from the earth, creates powerful earthquakes that throw the orc army off bnce, and crushes their foes with walls of stone.

    He steps forward from the shadows, his eyes alight with power. With a wave of his hand, the ground beneath the orc army begins to shake and convulse.

    The orcs, caught off guard by this sudden disy of power, stumble and fall. Some are swallowed up by great cracks in the earth, while others are crushed under massive boulders that seem to rise up out of nowhere. The giant trolls, who had seemed invincible throughout the siege, are torn apart by the very earth itself.

    Belkazack, the war-chief who had led the orc army, stands his ground against the mage. He wields his axe of storms, hoping to strike down the mage before he can unleash any more of his power. But the mage is too quick for him, summoning great walls of stone to block Belkazack''s path.

    With a final burst of power, the mage calls forth a great earthquake that shakes the entire battlefield. The orcs, caught in the midst of this cataclysmic event, are torn apart and crushed under falling debris.

 Chapter 130 End Of The War

    Even if Esdras couldn''t feel the might of the Master mage Ashran through the Spy eyes, he was convinced by that disy of power.

    It was something out of the imaginations of most people. A horrific storm, that was the best description of the onught of spells that were cast simultaneously to destroy an army entirely.

    Stranger still was the fact that the city waspletely unharmed by the mini earthquake that was happening right outside the gates, this was unscientific.

    Belkazak finally broke out of his earthen prison and roared in rage at his dying army, sparks of lightning flew off his axe and he was propelled in the air as if he was a cannon ball towards the levitating Master mage.

    Lightning and storm winds enveloped his form, his power was a sight to behold, the air seemed to cry as his form cut through the distance in a few breaths. From the outside he looked like the manifestation of the rage of nature, here to deliver divine judgment.

    The Master mage remained expressionless and merely pointed at the approaching monster, suddenly a dark purple ray of light struck Belkazak mid-flight and everything was dispelled. The wind and lightning nowhere to be seen.

    A dark purple sphere of light locked Belkazak''s giant frame in ce, his limbs were each tied with that dark energy rings and he was spayed like fool.

    The Master mage''s eyes gleamed in amusement when the four limbs of the first orc king were torn off mercilessly with an invisible force. His head is cut cleanly by that same force and his body is twisted like a worn off rag and mutted into a lump of flesh.

    The Master mage then threw off the head of the orc king to the soldiers on the walls who cheered in excitement after a long moment of hesitation.

    When the battle is finally won, and the orc army is vanquished, the soldiers and citizens turn to the master mage with reverence and gratitude.

    They know that they owe their lives and their victory to his incredible power and unwavering determination.

    From that moment on, the master mage will be even more of a legendary figure in their hearts and minds, a symbol of hope and strength that will never be forgotten.

    Esdras watched the battle unfold through his magic item, his eyes glued to the screen as the orc army approaches the city. He sees the master mage step forward, his power palpable even through the lens of the magic item.

    As the battle came to a close, Esdras can''t help but notice that the Master mage seems to be focusing on something specific. He watched as the mage casts spells with incredible precision, his attention drawn to a figure at the back of the orc army.

    Esdras strains his eyes to get a better look, and he saw the Great Shaman, holding a staff that seems to glow with an otherworldly light. He wondered why the master mage seems so interested in this shaman and his staff, especially when he ruthlessly destroyed the rest of the orc army.

    As the battlees to an end and the city celebrates its victory, Esdras continues to watch the Master mage. He sees the mage move with purpose, his eyes fixed on the Great Shaman and his staff. Esdras feels a sense of unease, wondering what the mage ned to do.

    Suddenly, the master mage lunges forward, his hand outstretched. Esdras gasps as he watches the mage seize the staff from the Great Shaman''s grasp. The shaman falls to the ground, helpless without his magical conduit.

    He is then crushed to death by his fall. The trolls get captured in dark purple spheres and get sent into the city far away, probably to the Master mage''s castle.

    As the dust settles, the mage stands alone above the walls of the city, in the air like a god. The orc army has been utterly destroyed, and the city has been saved from certain doom. The defenders, stunned and grateful, gather around the mage in awe and wonder at his incredible power.

    The Master mage then returned thend outside to normal, closing the fissures back and burying a majority of the orcs in the process.

    The king quickly orders the remaining soldiers to go out and finish off the remaining orcs who were luck to survive and run away.

    Esdras watched as the Master mage quickly departs from the city walls and back to his castle, seemingly unconcerned with the celebrations going on around him. He wondered what the mage ns to do with the staff, and why he would go to such lengths to capture it.

    As the dust settles and the city returns to normal, Esdras can''t shake the feeling of unease that the Master mage''s actions have caused. Did he do all of this for that staff?

    Unbelievable.

    Rank 4 beings stood at the pinnacle of power within this world currently. In the past he saw how the awakened Pharaoh kill five warlocks by literally lifting his finger, that was the only time he witnessed the power of a rank 4 before today.

    Back then that power was so effortless that he failed toprehend just how insane it was. Rank 4 were the greatest beings at the limit of mortal power. And he could now see why, they could kill thousands in a blink, they could scar the environment if they wanted.

    And so it was that the Master mage, who had waited until thest possible moment to unleash his power, saved the city of Seroie from the orc army and cemented his ce in history as a true hero.

    ****

    With one day remaining before the Rite of passage Tara was in deep thought, her mind went through every possible method to get rid of Esdras and break free.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She tried sending letters to Robert but the seclusion training of the Maze legion was inhuman, all contact with the outside world was cut off, it was impossible tomunicate.

    All she got was a reply from management that they will keep her letters until the training was done and then deliver them to Robert if he survived.

    This infuriated her to no end!

    But then again, even of the letters were delivered sessfully what was the point? Even if Robert was here could he really have done something to save her?

    It was impossible to contend against a Rank 2 being, a True mage with their own power. It was probably for the best for Robert to not be here.

    This was another thing that got on her nerves, she was suffering here like this while he was out there safe and sound. How is that fair?!

    She didn''t believe Esdras when he told her that she was abandoned by Robert but... she wasn''t sure anymore. After all, it''s normal for Esdras to seek revenge but it wasn''t her fault, why should she suffer like this?!

    From the start this whole thing was his fault!

    Robert!

    How can he abandon her like this? No, it was possible that he knew things would turn out like this which is why he bailed at the first chance he got.

    It was his doing, he was greedy and thought that getting rid of Esdras was easy.

    Her life was on the line because of Robert, she was a nobledy destined to be a True mage at the very least, and now she was reduced to a bed ve!

    In the past she believed she would always choose death over disgrace without a doubt, but when her life was really in danger she knew that her pride was not worth it.

    The most important thing is life!

    As long as she lived she could always make ae back in the future! After all her progress in magic was always good buttely it was doubled or tripled, the amount of mana she gathered was that great.

    She was not sure about the reason but that was her only respite from the torment that Esdras subjected her to on daily basis.

    He was horrible, and merciless.

    He didn''t simply fuck her every day, he humiliated her in various ways. He made her give him a soap bath using her body once. He made her beg to be fucked while degrading herself before fucking her.

    These days he ordered her to get on top and do all the work while heid there degrading her with insults and instructions.

    She wasn''t even allowed to cum before asking for permission. At the end she had to thank him and clean him up with her mouth before getting off the bed to sleep elsewhere.

    She had never been so miserable in her life, but it was useless to struggle against Esdras, he was too powerful. Tonight she was even more agitated, as she thought about the things he made her do her hands subconsciously went downwards.

    Esdras hadn''t called her to his bed for a while, she wasn''t sure why, did she do something wrong again? No, no, no way. She was on her best behavior.

    She knew why, he was spending his time with that bitch Celine, thinking of this she snorted in disdain. But it was still weird, Esdras would still want to use her, so why didn''t he call for her yet?

    Her hand came into contact with her puffed out pussy and she traced her lips and gasped audibly as a rush of pleasure overwhelmed her body. Just as she was about to continue her hand paused.

    ''Fuck, I messed up. I''m not allowed to touch myself without permission.''

    Tara teared up and went to the bathroom, when she confessed that she touched herself Esdras would probably punish her again. What kind of punishment would it be?

    She also noticed that her pubs started growing back and shaved them back again.

    After she delivered Sam and the rest of the useless rabble to Escape tomorrow she would prove her usefulness to Esdras for sure and he might want to use her then, she had to keep herself in the best shape possible.

 Chapter 131 Rite Of Passage (1)

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway...

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 132 Rite Of Passage (2)

    Esdras did not worry about water or food, other than the official resources he had food and waterskins in his storage ring. If things go wrong he still had water magic which can create real water.

    Since this was still the first day then catching Sam and his buddies wasn''t going to work, he should give them time so they can regroup. It would not do for some of them to get away with it.

    But it felt good.

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    This ce was going to be great. He could feel it.

    Meanwhile, while Esdras was strolling calmly, the other apprentices were facing a life and death crisis.

    Through out the day he understood just how ridiculous this test was for normal apprentices. The monsters in here were simply too powerful for apprentices.

    On the first day alone, he faced against giant spiders that build their nests in holes throughout the ce. Next to you for it against denticle the monsters that had sharp razor like teeth at the end of their tentacles, they were callednd krakens.

    And they were too cunning and equal parts ferocious, gathering in packs and using ambushes to gain the upper hand. Esdras had no idea it was to this degree.

    And if that wasn''t enough, they still had to think about food and water, they had to watch their backs for other apprentices. It was a true test that only those powerful and lucky enough would pass.

    [+ 420 EXP]

    He made an awesome harvest by nightfall but he was too excited and he didn''t settle down for the day or set up any camp. However, he was not that concerned, and he was happy to make some EXP after such a long time.

    If he was in a dungeon then he could have made much more, that knowledge dampened his joy. Comparison was really the worst.

    So he decided for one more hunt because he hugged a suspicious noise, and suspected that it was a monster nearby. He decided to act upon the suspicion before settling down for the night.

    Following the noise, he identally stumbled upon a campfire set up by four apprentices, they were huddled around the fire and looking exhausted. There were some blood stains on their robes, and they had weapons with them.

    They only had sleeping bags lined around the fire without making any tents. Probably they did not want to do that because it will make them open for attacks by monsters.

    Esdras did not want any trouble, he did not know them, so he did not have to make any trouble for them either so he decided to leave and go elsewhere.

    "Who are you?" one of them asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

    Esdras stops in his tracks as he hears the voice calling out to him. He turns around to see Aaron, the leader of the group, gesturing for him toe back to the campfire.

    For a moment, Esdras hesitates. He knows that he cannot fully trust anyone in this test of life and death, and the fact that the four apprentices were armed and on guard made him even more wary.

    Esdras decides to approach the campfire cautiously. The four apprentices watch him carefully, their hands on their weapons.

    "I''m Esdras," he responds, his voice calm and steady. "I''m an apprentice like you." Well, that wasn''t exactly true but it wasn''t necessarily wrong either.

    The others look at each other, seemingly unsure of whether to trust him. Esdras can sense their fear and suspicion, and he knows that he needs to be careful.

    "Are you alone?" another one asks.

    "For now," Esdras said honestly, "I was hunting in the swamp and stumbled upon your camp."

    "Do you want to join us for the night? There''s fire, not much else but that to be honest."

    "Thanks for the offer," Esdras says, "but I think I''ll be okay on my own. I don''t want to intrude. As you know this is the Rite and I don''t want create unnecessary tension, it''s better for us to part ways. Good luck."

    Aaron smiles warmly, but Esdras can see a glint of something sinister in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asks. "We could use an extra hand. And it''s safer to stick together, don''t you think?"

    Esdras hesitates for a moment.

    "This Rite is not a death match between us, fellow apprentices. Some people just assume that we have to kill each other for no reason, we must unite and fight together. Is it any harm for us tobine our strengths and pass?"

    Another one of the apprentices chimed up as well, "even if we don''t agree on many things, it shouldn''t stop us from working towards amon goal. Survival."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "All right," Esdras nodded finally, "I''ll stay for a little while."

    The others seem to rx a bit at this, and one of them gestures for him to sit down by the fire. Esdras cautiously took a seat, looking relieved and still a bit on guard to the others.

    As they sit around the fire, the other apprentices introduce themselves. There''s Aaron, a quiet and reserved apprentice who seems to be the leader of the group; Lily, a fierce and determined young woman with a sharp tongue; Marcus, a burly and muscr apprentice who looks like he could take on any monster with ease; and finally, Ethan, a wiry and agile apprentice with a mischievous glint in his eye.

    As they talk, Esdras begins to realize that these apprentices are not like the others he has encountered. They are not out for blood or trying to kill each other; instead, they have formed an alliance, pooling their skills and resources to increase their chances of survival.

    They share their rations with each other and work together to set up traps and keep watch for monsters.

    Esdras was impressed by their resourcefulness and resilience. He realizes that, in a situation like this, having allies is crucial for normal apprentices. He just hopped they wouldn''t try anything stupid.

    As Esdras settled in by the fire, he began to rx. The other apprentices seem friendly and weing, and they share their rations with him.

    However, as the night wears on, he begins to feel uneasy. He notices that the other apprentices are watching him closely, their eyes never leaving him. He can sensed that something is off, but he cannot quite put his finger on it.

    As the night wears on, the apprentices take turns keeping watch while the others rest. Esdras volunteers to take the first watch, wanting to prove his worth to the group.

    As he sits by the fire, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger, he might lend these guys a hand tomorrow as thanks for taking him in. Although he didn''t need the help it wasn''t bad to ept it.

    However, while he was pretending to sleep he heard a troubling noise as he was yanked out of his sleeping bad and tied with a rope. He still didn''t open his eyes and his breathing was uniform.

    "Foolish bastard, this one is." Aaron said, his tone was not gloating, justmenting. "He should have gone away, good guys don''t end up well in this world."

    "Hehe if he wasn''t so foolish we wouldn''t have gotten our hands on his food and water." Lilyughed with evil intent.

    "What to do with him?" Marcus, the one who tied him with the rope asked innocently, he was still the closest to Esdras and kept himself that way. Probably to make sure Esdras didn''t make any sudden moves.

    "¡­ just throw him out," Aaron said with a frown, "we have what we want, let him fend for himself."

    "No way, we should get rid of him. Now." Ethan refuted. Esdras could tell he was the furthest from him, probably rummaging through his stuff.

    "We don''t need to kill him! He''s no threat to us." Aaron snapped.

    "Now, he isn''t but what if he teams up with a couple of his friends andes after uster? We can''t take that chance."

    "You''re the leader, Aaron give the call." Marcus said with confidence as if he wasn''t going to bother himself with thinking about it an instead leave it to someone else. Obviously he wasn''t good with decisions and he knew it.

    Aaron was still hesitating.

    "what do you reckon will happen to him when we throw him out without his food and water he will just die out there more painfully. If we kill him now, we will spare him think about it. We''re actually doing him a favor." Lily added.

    "A dumb guy like him would get killedter on anyway." Ethan nodded.

    Now everyone remain silent, waiting for Aaron''s decision. Esdras waited together with them as well. He was curious what decision Aaron will make after all.

    "¡­ we let him go. Who knows he might find some shelter or foodter on. And if hees after us will just get rid of him then." Aaron said atst with conviction and confidence.

    "Sigh. You''re still a hopeless, fool." Ethan shook his head but didn''t object.

    The other two also had amused expressions as if they also predicted that Aaron will make this decision. They seem to be used to each other.

    "Guys, no matter what we can''t be like the rest of them. We do what we must, but not any more than that. I''m sure together we can do it."

    Aaron started giving a speech that seem to inspire the rest of them. However, they were suddenly interrupted.

    "Hey, I don''t mean to interrupt or anything. I mean clearly you guys have other things going on with you."

    Esdras had an awkward expression and scratched his head with his free hand casually.

 Chapter 133 Rite Of Passage (3)

    The four of them had stunned expressions before Marcus, the tough-looking apprentice pounced at him. Probably trying to tackle him down to make opening for the rest.

    But before Marcus could even lunge properly he was forced back as he clutched his chest in confusion. He tried lifting his head up but his whole body grew heavy, Marcus tried to breath but couldn''t, he couldn''t see anything properly the world spinning around him and then he fell down with a thud.

    "Marcus!!"

    The rest of them, didn''t understand what happened. Well, that is only natural, the power difference between normal humans and the Vigor core realm was too vast.

    Esdras just gave him a punch but that was more than enough, actually Marcus was pretty tough as he didn''t faint on the spot.

    "Rx he''s alive, he''s just takin a nap."

    Esdras chuckled, to the horror of the apprentices. Seeing this reaction he frowned, he took care to hold back after all.

    "G-get him!" Ethan shout and didn''t wait for the others to respond as he fired an Air st and three a dagger right behind it.

    The other two followed suit andunched a Fire bolt and a Water whip simultaneously. Coordinated attacks that would otherwise do the trick, or at least buy time against a powerful opponent.

    However. The attacks hit Esdras head-on but there was not even a scratch on his face. No, even his robes were not disturbed, and he had an exasperated expression the whole time.

    Esdras was not just a ''powerful opponent'' he was an overwhelming being to these people.

    "Are you done?"

    Aaron was suddenly bathed in cold sweat and the other two looked at him with the same panic. In fact after casting those spells they nned to escape immediately.

    However, they didn''t know when, but there was a powerful invisible force tying them down, almost stering them to the ground.

    ''Is-is this the mana suppression of a high level mage?''

    Aaron suddenly began to think of the only logical and viable answer to the current circumstances. Unfortunately, it also filled his heart with despair.

    ''Why would a high-level mage pretend to be an apprentice during the Rite of passage? Just to mess with us. Is it fun for him to do this to us? Damn it.''

    Mana suppression, could only be done if there was a massive difference in power between the two parties, so Aaron suspected that Esdras was a great mage.

    Naturally, this was not mana suppression but telekinesis, unfortunately they had no way of knowing something like that.

    Everyone of them had a dark expression, as they could feel that their lives were now hanging by a thread. They could not help but me fate and hate themselves. It was the worst bout of bad luck they had ever experienced.

    It was unfair.

    What was only a few short moments felt like years to them, as if time itself has ground to a halt.

    In their eyes, the image of the handsome and young apprentice, who was no different than them a moment ago, has now transformed into an unimaginable figure that had left countless years, and was toying with their lives for fun.

    Esdras who was about to fix the misunderstanding was stupefied as he noticed the surge in Negative energy and chose to remain silent.

    This silence served only to increase the tension in the air and make the three apprentices''s spections go wild.

    Esdras was shouting with joy on the inside but he had an indifferent cold look on the outside as if the whole world was just that meaningless to him.

    After a while things calmed down and the Negative energy surge slowed down again.

    ''Tsk''

    "Now then¡­ what should I do with the lot of you? Trash that tried to do dark deeds in the dead of night, and to a fellow apprentice of all people."

    Aaron and the others suddenly fell down as the mysterious force holding them in ce vanished.

    "Sir, sir please! We learned our lesson. We didn''t recognize you, forgive us."

    However Marcus spoke his true thoughts in this untimely situation, "why would a higher-up pretend to be an apprentice during the Rite of passage?! That''s against the rules!"

    "Moron! Shut your trap!" Lily red at Marcus as if she wanted nothing more that to kill him right now.

    "There is a misunderstanding¡­ I didn''t lie, I am really an apprentice like the rest of you." Esdras frowned and corrected the misunderstanding.

    The three of them nodded but he could see that they didn''t believe him, he didn''t bother exining himself further. He didn''t care anymore.

    "Anyway get out of here before I kill all of you. It''s a good, though cowardly tactic, next time you should honestly attack and argue less."

    Esdras decided to let them go, well, it was less his decision and more of something he had no choice but to do. Despite this being allowed, Esdras received a warning from Meerh.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The death toll of apprentices during the defense of fort Kuzdin against the warlocks caused too many casualties.

    So he negotiated with Meerh and decided that he could kill only five apprentices. Esdras was fine with that, he wasn''t nning to go on a ughter spree just because he could.

    He couldn''t waste three of his kills so uselessly on these guys, he needed them for some special individuals.

    "We won''t do this again, thank you my lord for letting us go."

    The three of them then woke Marcus up and exined the situation to him while leaving.

    Esdras nodded to himself, he expected them to ask for their supplies but they were at least smarter than they seemed.

    From this encounter one could easily see just how messed up the situation in the Rite of passage was.

    What Aaron said in the beginning was true, if the apprentices could ovee their petty disputes and work together their survival rates would skyrocket.

    Forget about working together, if they could at least not harm each other then it will create a different situation entirely.

    But, human nature was not so easily denied. In fact the Rite of passage was designed to put stress and anxiety on the apprentices intentionally. From this perspective, it was doing its job very well.

    It''s just that he wasn''t sure that this type of exam was really necessary although he wasn''t an expert in this regard, he was of the opinion, that the test was too deadly for people who have not experienced the real world to be put suddenly in such apromising and dangerous situation it was bound to lead to an expected results.

    Esdras woke up at dawn, feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. He quickly got dressed in his armor and grabbed his trusty sword before heading out into the forest.

    As he walked through the dense trees, he heard rustling in the bushes nearby. Esdras immediately drew his sword and prepared for battle.

    ? Out of nowhere, a group of zombies appeared, their eyes glowing red with hunger. They were armed with rusty swords and shields, but Esdras was not intimidated.

    He charged towards them, swinging his sword with precision and skill. The zombies tried to strike back, but their attacks were clumsy and slowpared to Esdras'' lightning-fast movements.

    With each swing of his sword, Esdras cut down another zombie until they were all defeated. But there was no time to rest as more monsters appeared on the horizon.

    This time it was a group of skeletons armed with bows and arrows. They fired at Esdras from a distance while he dodged their attacks with ease.

    Esdras closed in on them quickly, using his shield to deflect any iing arrows while striking back with deadly uracy. One by one, the skeletons fell until there were none left standing.

    [+ 116 EXP]

    Victorious, Esdras took a moment to catch his breath before continuing on his journey through the forest.

    Today was the day he was going to meet up with Tara as he felt the spiritual mana mark he left on a mana stone with her for this purpose.

    It only worked because his spirituality was special thanks to the Negative energy. Esdras discovered that he could use this method when he signed the contract with Meerh.

    It was convenient, instead of going around searching aimlessly. He also gave one each to Celine and David, he was confident in their skills but this was an unpredictable test after all.

    He altered each one so that he could tell the difference between each one. Although the in was a big zone, his senses were not powerful enough to cover it, and he could only faintly tell the general locations of Celine and David.

    ****

    "Goddamn this fly!"

    Sam, red-faced cursed loudly in rage and tried to smack the annoying fly away. He couldn''t stand this stale air for any longer, the dead twisted trees around him drove him mad with disgust.

    They were unlucky and were dropped in the edge of the southwestern side of the in. This side was crawling with undead and had no water, no fruits or anything that could be considered food.

    They went through their supplies quickly yesterday thinking that they could just hunt something. But¡­ they couldn''t eat undead now could they?

    So today, everyone was grumbling and in a shitty mood. Worst of all he could hear some of the underlings whispering about him when they thought he wasn''t nearby.

    "If it was Robert¡­"

    ''If it was Robert?''

    That was the most annoying thing Sam had to hear ever since Robert went to join the Maze legion. As if Robert could somehow solve everything by himself!

    Didn''t they know? He was the boss now!

    Sam was tired of exining that so he decided to show them that he was better by his actions!

    First he was going to get out of here and into the swamp at least, there should be some regr monsters there and some water too. Or¡­ some fellow apprentices down on their luck.

 Chapter 134 Sweet Dream (1)

    At least as they neared the swamnds the number of undead decreased correspondingly which allowed them to take a break.

    The dead trees started clearing up which gave them better visibility, if Sam''s calctions weren''t wrong then it would take only an hour to leave this cursed ce.

    They decided to take a break here before getting into the swamp because it could easily lead to them being attacked when they were exhausted.

    ''This ce between the two zones was the best ce to rest up. Of course none of these losers would know to thank me for my wisdom. Tch.''

    Sam''s anger burned hot once again, these ungrateful bastards will get a beatingter on.

    They were sitting on some rocks and sharing thest of their water, when something caught Sam''s eye. Tara was drinking from the water skin and some of the water slid down her delicious lips and rolled down her chin and into her robe to a ce that made his imagination run wild.

    To be honest Sam always felt that Robert was not worthy of a woman like Tara, who was beautiful, fierce and elegant. Which was why he decided to make her his woman after killing the annoying pest Esdras.

    ? After all, it was something that Robert couldn''t do, and what if he, the great Sam, seeded where Robert failed? That would definitely move her heart to him!

    Yes, the situation was perfect, he was going to show her his cool side and while Robert was away or dead whose to say he didn''t have a chance?

    No, he had more than a chance, Sam could feel it for the past few days, the way that Tara looked at him changed slowly. It was because he was showing his true abilities after being in Robert''s shadow this whole time.

    People didn''t pay him enough attention but now everyone was starting to notice. Everyone back home though his sister was the talented one but the truth was different, he was the one chosen by destiny to be a Great mage one day.

    "Oooh, Sam! Come here! Take a look at what I caught."

    Sam was suddenly shaken off his thoughts by one of his underlings, it was the guy charged with keeping a lookout using the spyss.

    They chose a high spot so they can have a good view of everything around them and have enough time to prepare in case of a sudden attack. This vintage point allowed them to see the swamp zone without being seen.

    Sam yanked the spyss from the underlings grasp and looked at what he was pointing out. And smirked, not believing how good his luck was.

    "If it isn''t that rotten bastard!" Sam couldn''t help but cheer. Not only did their targete to them voluntarily, he could even see that Esdras was carrying four or five ration bags!

    Just what they needed.

    And those bags looked really full too, it''s only been one day so he couldn''t have consumed that much rations.

    "Lets gut that animal and get us some real food!"

    "Hell yeah!"

    Some of the underlings started cheering and gathered their weapons at once.

    "Hold it!"

    Sam shouted at them while looking infuriated.

    "What is it?¡­ boss?"

    "We can''t just rush him, we need a n. We must get our hands on those ration bags."

    "Why go through all that trouble, boss? You can''t possibly believe those rumors about him being a level 4 apprentice right? This Esdras we''re talking about, for god''s sake."

    "I know! But this is ourst chance, although I don''t believe he became a level 4 apprentice, we must act like he is." Sam replied firmly, "that guy keeps somehow surviving, we can''t deny that. And look at those extra ration bags, where do you reckon he got them?"

    Finally, the implication of his words started to sink in to the thick heads of these idiots. Sam was not about to let this chance slip by like this.

    Consuming their rations on the first day was too reckless and taught Sam that this was serious, he couldn''t make a single mistake again if he wanted to prove himself.

    As for Esdras''s extra bags, he didn''t know for sure but it was better to assume the worst.

    "So, what should we do. He might get away if we hesitate anymore¡­"

    That was true, if they wasted too much time their prey might get away, the problem was what the actual n was going to be¡­

    "I know."

    Suddenly, Tara spoke up making everyone look at her. "I have a n, didn''t O spend so much time to earn his trust for this moment? It''s time I put my n to action. Leave the rest to me."

    "Oooh, yes. As expected of Tara, after all you had to hang out with that loser. I wonder what his expression will look like when he gets betrayed!"

    Samughed, to be honest Tara''s closeness with Esdras was getting on his nerves in the past two weeks but he didn''t say anything because he knew just how ruthless and cunning Tara was.

    And now she indeed proved that she was not beyond using all that time to act like they were actually close only to stab him in the back in the end. It was moments like these that made Sam want Tara so much.

    "So, what are you going to do?" Sam asked in anticipation.

    "You guys will set up a trap here and hide in various ces while I will pretend to bump into him by ident and lure him here. When he''s in the right spot all of you will attack him at once while I retreat to your side. What do you think?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Sam nodded, "I can''t believe you came up with such a n on the spot, you''re so smart, Tara."

    Tara blushed and looked away in embarrassment, she was so cute some times!

    Sam wanted nothing more than to kiss her right now, but first thing first. It was time to take that pest down!

    Tara didn''t waste any time and went down. Fortunately during that time the idiot Esdras didn''t leave instead he climbed up in their direction.

    Sam knew today was his lucky day and kept watching as the rest of the underlings cleaned the ce up and made sure there were no traces that could raise suspicions.

    They just settled down here and didn''t make any camp so the clean up was simple. Meanwhile Sam using the spyss saw the moment when Tara and Esdras met by ''coincidence''.

    The two quickly began to catch-up and Sam saw Tara pointing up in their direction. Esdras, the fool started following Tara without a thought of course.

    He was a dimwit after all.

    Sam quickly joined the others in hiding and took out his short dagger, his n for this encounter to be long an painful. He wanted to vent his frustrations on this bastard, he was jealous of the way Tara acted around him even though he knew it was an act but it was still frustrating to see his goddess like that.

    His blood boiled with rage at the thought alone, and his hand tightened around the hilt of his dagger.

    Finally, after what seems like forever, he heard the sound of that two pairs of footsteps, approaching the ce of the trap.

    "It''s here, huh?"

    Sam heard the unmistakable voice of Esdras, only he could sound so bored and arrogant at the same time.

    "Y-yes. It''s a nice ce. I hop you like it."

    That was Tara her voice was much softer than usual. I did clearly conveyed subservience. However, Sam did not think too much about it. This was the right moment. Now.

    "Now!"

    He yelled as he lunged from behind a tree and charged at Esdras who had no clue what was happening.

    The trap was really simple. It was just a collective attack from multiple directions all at once. Even if Esdras was really a level 4 apprentice he wouldn''t be able to deal with all five of them at once.

    However, an unexpected ident happened at the most crucial moment. One of his underlings, who was charging at the same direction, tripped, and mmed into Sam instead.

    Sam quickly recovered and turned to look at Esdras who still had a nk look. Unexpectedly the others all suffered simr idents.

    Sam red at the underling who crashed into him and wasted the ambush they nned so carefully.

    "What''s the matter with you?! Fuck, do I have to suffer subordinates like you guys!"

    Sam''s anger was explosive, he could not believe that not only did the ambush fail, but he had embarrassed himself in front of Tara because of these fools.

    The other three quickly collected themselves, and stood beside him, Tara as well quickly ran behind him and tearfully clung to his back.

    "Sam, pleas save me¡­"

    Sam''s heart started throbbing violently, this is it! This is his moment!

    He turned and condescendingly look down on Esdras after his ego was restored by Tara, he cleared his throat and brandished his dagger.

    "Hey, asshole! Hand over the ration bags and you can go in peace."

    Of course, that was not going to happen, but his first priority was to make sure the bags and rations within them or not damaged in the uing struggle.

    "Hmm, let''s see, how about no?" Esdras answered yfully.

    Some thing about his tone triggered Sam terribly!

    "Fucker, don''t you want to live? Do you think you can get away with it this time? I don''t care how powerful you think you are. There''s six of us and one of you. I''ll be merciful and let you go as long as you had over the bags obediently."

    Esdras rolled his eyes, " are you just going to yap or are you actually going to do something about it?"

    Sam knew that his little ploy filed so he decided to get it over with, they could endure the loss if things got damaged.

    "Attack! Tear this¡ª"

    However, he could not continue the rest of his words as he felt a dagger, stabbing him in the back. Slowly his head turned and saw an unexpected sight.

    "H-how?¡­ why?"

 Chapter 135 Sweet Dream (2)

    Sam''s voice trembled with disbelief as he saw Tara standing behind him, holding the dagger that pierced him. His eyes widened in shock, and his mind was filled with confusion and despair.

    Tara looked at him with a cold and calcting gaze, "Sam. This was the only way."

    Sam''s knees buckled, and he fell to the ground. He was betrayed by his own underlings, and now the girl he loved was the one who stabbed him. It was a double blow that he could not bear.

    As he struggled to breathe, a sense of betrayal washed over him. How could Tara do this to him? He had always trusted her, and now she had stabbed him in the back. He had thought that she had feelings for him, but it was all a lie.

    Sam''s thoughts were in disarray, and he struggled to make sense of what had happened. He had been so confident that his n would work, yet it had all fallen apart.

    No! It wasn''t over yet! Sam stood up, turned around and with all of his remaining willpower he pushed Tara away. His eyes burning with anger, he wanted to take his revenge on this traitorous bitch!

    Just as he was about to attack her, his fist was stopped midway. It was like punching a wall. But it was just Esdras.

    "Hey, what do you think you''re doing? You''re in this situation and still dare to touch my things?"

    That cold voice sent shivers down Sam''s spine atst, and he knew he fucked up. Obviously, something went very wrong, their understanding of Esdras was all messed up.

    Finally, the image of the weak and docile Esdras whom he used to bully all the time faded away, reced by this new and unknown person.

    When Esdras changed so quickly Sam''s subconscious mind refused to believe such a thing because of the image he had of him for so long, and because of how quickly the change urred.

    In fact, in the past Sam had no hatred for Esdras, he just looked down on him and bullied him to vent his frustrations and to establish his ce in the hierarchy. It''s not like he was the only one Sam bullied, so he wasn''t someone he paid attention to.

    But, when did it start? Was it when Robert told them to get rid of Esdras? No, even back then, it was just a passing thought.

    It was when everyone started praising Esdras for saving apprentices, when he was give a special mission by the higher-ups, when he got to go to the royal ce of Elbrim. That was when his hatred for Esdras grew and took hold of him.

    He hated it when everyone started talking about Esdras and praising him as some sort of god! That was ridiculous! The person he was just picking onst week turned into an overnight sess?!

    What kind of bullshit is that? It made no sense. So he refused to believe it.

    People tend to worship those they perceived as much higher than them, overlooking their failings and even kissing the ground they walked on.

    But if someone whom they perceived as lower or of the same level started improving, they would curse and hate that person.

    Esdras twisted Sam''s arm and an awful cracking noise echoed out, his arm was curled backwards twice. His bones jutted out of his flesh and he sank down crying his eyes out.

    Perhaps it was that sight that awoke the rest of them at which point they decided to attack. Two of them cast spells, earth bullet and fire bolt at him. The other two went around him quickly brandishing their short swords for a pincer attack.

    However.

    The spells, were just a joke made of weak level three elemental conjuration and maniption, not even cantrips. Esdras ignored them entirely and stood still even as the two melee ''mages'' were closing in on him.

    The two charging apprentices didn''t have the time to think about it too much, since he was toote to respond they would make a kabab out of him!

    But, something strange happened. No, it was too weird to just call it strange. It was abnormal.

    The two of them ended up stabbing each other instead.

    "What¡­!"

    "You bastard! You''re with him?!"

    "Me?! Fuc¡ªk!"

    With the stance of stabbing each other the two of them started using one another. The swords went through their stomachs, so it was basically over for them.

    The others were restrained with earth spikes that enclosed them preventing them from helping him. The earth spikes were not gentle either, there were several broken bones for both of them.

    Not that they had the guts to do so anymore, they were more likely to try to escape.

    As Samy on the ground, his vision started to fade, and he knew that his time was up. He closed his eyes and wondered where he had gone wrong. What had he done to deserve this?<novelnext></novelnext>

    His dreams and ambitions shattered. He had been a pawn in a bigger game, and he had paid the ultimate price for it.

    However, it was at this moment of despair when his hidden powers awakened! The wounds of the dagger in his back and his mangled arm healed as a great power shook thend around the and surprising everyone.

    As Sam''s wounds miraculously healed, a newfound power surged within him. His eyes glowed with an intense golden light, and his body radiated with an aura of immense power. The ground shook beneath him as he stood up, towering over his former underlings.

    "You thought you could kill me?" Samughed, his voice booming like thunder. "You are weak, pathetic, and you will never be anything more than that."

    With a wave of his hand, the earth beneath them exploded, throwing his subordinates in all directions. They screamed in terror, but Sam was not finished. He raised his hand again, and a massive bolt of lightning shot from his fingertips, striking his enemies and sending them flying.

    "Now, you will pay for how you acted towards me before!" Sam shouted, his voice filled with rage. They were just useless baggage at this point, it was better for him to kill them, and then allow the enemy to do so.

    With a single thought, he crushed his subordinates into nothingness, their bodies disintegrating into dust. Samughed again, feeling more powerful than ever before. He had always dreamed of bing a demigod, and now that dream had be a reality.

    Esdras was it slippery and a coward at heart, this is why he took the chance to immediately flee into the forest downwards, hoping to escape his wrath, hoping to evade his judgment.

    It was too bad that Esdras did not understand the realm of power that Sam has achieved.

    As Sam''s powers surged through his body, he chased after Esdras through the forest. The trees were shaking and uprooting as he ran, leaving a path of destruction in his wake. He could feel the power coursing through his veins, the energy of a demigod.

    Esdras, meanwhile, was running for his life. He was terrified, and tears streamed down his face as he fled from Sam''s wrath. He had never seen anyone so powerful, so unstoppable. He knew that he was no match for Sam, and that his only hope was to run as fast as he could.

    But Sam was gaining on him, and with every step, he felt the exhration of his newfound power. Heughed as he chased Esdras, mocking him for his pathetic begging and crying. He felt alive in a way that he never had before, and he reveled in the destruction that he was causing.

    Finally, he caught up to Esdras and grabbed him by the neck. Esdras cried out in terror, tears streaming down his face as he begged for mercy.

    "Please, Sam, have mercy!" he cried. "I''ll do anything you want, just spare me!"

    Sam sneered at him, his eyes burning with fury. "You think I''m going to spare you after what you''ve done?" he spat. "You tried to have me killed. Know your ce, scum!"

    Esdras continued to plead for his life, but Sam was deaf to his cries. He raised his hand and unleashed a st of energy that incinerated Esdras where he stood.

    Sam stood there for a moment, watching as the divine mes of his fury consumed Esdras''s body. He felt a sense of satisfaction, of power. He was unstoppable now, and no one could stand in his way.

    But there was still one person left to deal with - Tara, the one who had betrayed him. He turned his attention to her, and his eyes narrowed in anger. She would pay for what she had done.

    Soon enough he was back where everything started.

    Tara was trembling as she stood before Sam, her eyes full of fear and desperation. She knew she had made a terrible mistake by betraying him, and now she was facing the consequences.

    "Sam, please," she begged. "I''m sorry for what I did. I was wrong, and I know that now. I never meant to hurt you."

    Sam looked at her coldly, his eyes betraying no emotion. He knew that Tara was responsible for his current predicament, and he was not in the mood to forgive her easily.

    "I trusted you, Tara," he said, his voiceced with anger. "I thought you had my back, but you stabbed me in it instead."

    "I know, and I''m sorry," Tara said, her voice shaking. "But it wasn''t just me. Esdras and Robert had a hand in it too. They manipted me, made me do things I didn''t want to do."

    Sam raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And you expect me to believe that?"

    "It''s the truth, I swear!" Tara said, tears streaming down her face. "Please, Sam, I''ll do anything to make it up to you. Anything you want, just spare me¡­"

    "Hehehe, that will depend on your actions." Sam replied cooly.

    Suddenly Sam was sshed with cold water and opened his eyes groggily. He heard someoneining.

    "For gods sake this is the first time I think something worked too well. Wake up you maggot!"

    Sam was smacked across the face multiple times. And saw someone he though was already dead; Esdras.

 Chapter 136 Reality

    136 Reality

    Sam opened his heavy eyes in terror but he didn''t see anyone there, Esdras wasn''t there. Of course, how could he be? He''s dead.

    Sam killed him without a doubt.

    As a matter of fact he couldn''t see anything, it was dark. Too dark. Where was he anyway? What happened? Sam tried to move about only to find that he couldn''t, his gaze went downwards and he gasped.

    ''What the hell?!''

    Sam''s heart was pounding in his chest as he frantically looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He could barely remember anything clearly before waking up in this strange cave, tied to a chair with ropes that bound his arms and legs.

    The cave was dimly lit, with the only lighting from a small opening near the top of the cave that let in a sliver of sunlight. The walls were jagged and rough, with moss and lichen growing in patches. The air was damp and musty, and the smell of mold and mildew filled Sam''s nostrils.

    He struggled against the ropes, but they held fast, cutting into his skin and causing him pain. Fear and confusion flooded his mind as he tried to piece together how he had ended up in this situation. Had he been captured by his enemies? Had someone betrayed him?

    The memories were hazy and unclear, like trying to see through a foggy window. He remembered a fight, a chase, and then nothing. And now he was here, trapped in this cave with no way out.

    Sam''s mind raced as he tried toe up with a n to escape, but the ropes were too tight, and he was too weak to break free. He couldn''t even move his fingers, let alone his arms or legs.

    But¡­ how is that even possible? He was strong! He was the strongest, the greatest being in the entire world! How could this happen to him?

    Sam''s world seemed to crumble around him as he grappled with the devastating revtion. Moments ago, he had been a Demigod, a powerful being with the ability to shape the world ording to his whims.

    He had reveled in his newfound power, using it to exact revenge on those who had wronged him and to finally set things right. The feeling of control and authority had been intoxicating, granting him a sense of purpose and invincibility he had never known before.

    Unless¡­ unless¡­ no way, it can''t be¡­ impossible¡­

    But now, the harsh truth stared him in the face, leaving him reeling with disbelief. It had all been a lie, an borate illusion that had shattered in an instant. The rug had been pulled out from under him, and the loss of his power felt like a gaping wound in his very soul.

    As Sam struggled to process this cruel twist of fate, he was consumed by a storm of emotions. Betrayal, anger, and sorrow swirled within him, threatening to tear him apart. The world he had believed in and the power he had wielded had turned to dust in his hands, leaving him feeling hollow and bereft.

    His heart ached at the thought of the incredible feats he had aplished, now revealed to be nothing more than figments of his imagination. The reality he had built for himself had crumbled, leaving him to confront the painful truth of his own powerlessness.

    Questions and doubts raced through Sam''s mind as he tried to understand how everything had gone so wrong. How had he been deceived sopletely? What had led him to believe in his own divine power, only for it to be snatched away so cruelly?

    In the midst of his turmoil, Sam couldn''t help but feel a profound sense of loss, as though a part of him had been irrevocably shattered. The exhration and freedom that hade with his Demigod status had been intoxicating, and now, facing the harsh reality of his situation, he longed for thefort and sce that power had provided.

    Panic began to set in as he realized that he waspletely helpless, at the mercy of whoever had put him here. Was he going to die here, alone and forgotten? Or worse, was he going to be tortured and killed by his captors?

    Sam closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He had to think clearly if he was going to get out of this alive. But for now, he was stuck in this cave, with nothing but his thoughts and fears to keep himpany.

    Or¡­ maybe not. Hope began to sprout in his heart.

    He wasn''t sure how or why, but his friends were right besides him, it was just that he couldn''t see them for some reason.

    He did recall that he killed them in his dream but it didn''t matter. They were alive now that was much better for him. In the current circumstances he was willing to take any silver linings he could get.

    "Carl!"

    "Jimbo!"

    His heart pounding in his chest as he desperately tried to call out to his friends. Their once familiar faces now appeared distant and detached. His voice echoed through the space, but it seemed to have no effect on them. The hope that had filled him moments before was quickly dissipating, reced by a growing sense of unease and confusion.

    "Yark!"

    "Phil!"

    As he observed his friends, Sam couldn''t help but notice the bizarre behavior they disyed. Their vacant eyes stared into the void, as if they were lost in a trance.

    Some of them were moving their lips, muttering inaudible words, while others yed with their saliva and lips in a strange, almost grotesque manner.

    The eerie sound of one friend mimicking the chirping of birds sent shivers down Sam''s spine, while another friend''s head swung from side to side in an unnatural, unsettling rhythm. Thest of his friends sat motionless, head hanging limply, as if devoid of all life.

    A cold knot of fear twisted in Sam''s stomach as he tried to make sense of the scene before him. It was as if his friends had been robbed of their personalities, leaving only empty shells behind. Feelings of helplessness and despair began to take hold, gnawing at the edges of his consciousness.

    The atmosphere in the room grew heavier, suffocating Sam with its oppressive weight. He felt a wave of panic surging through him, threatening to overwhelm his senses. The unnerving sight of his friends, once a source offort and camaraderie, now filled him with dread and uncertainty.

    As he stood there, surrounded by the strange behavior of his friends and the crushing weight of his own disillusionment, Sam was forced to confront a new reality, one where he was no longer the master of his own destiny. He would have to find a way to navigate this world without the power he had once wielded, and learn to cope with the bitter sting of betrayal that haunted him.

    The sound of footsteps echoed in the distance, and Sam''s heart rate quickened. He strained his eyes, trying to see who wasing towards him, but the darkness made it impossible to discern anything. Fear gripped him as the footsteps drew closer and closer.

    But where the footsteps came to a stop, he didn''t see anything at all. Was that his imagination?

    "Over here, dumbass!"

    The amount of Negative energy he harvested was well worth the effort. But now he needed answers 23:06

    to some pressing questions he had.

    The figure emerged from the darkness right beside him, sitting on a much more luxurious chair, and Sam''s heart sank as he recognized Esdras. The same Esdras who he had killed and mocked was now standing before him, looking at him with a cold and unforgiving gaze.

    ''It''s happened again, something I didn''t see was right by my side!''

    "Hello, Sam," Esdras said in a t tone. "I hope you''refortable."

    Sam''s mind raced with questions and confusion. Why was Esdras doing this to him? What did he want?

    Esdras approached him, his movements slow and deliberate. Sam could see the indifference in his eyes, and he knew that he was in grave danger.

    "H-how are you alive?¡­ I was sure I killed you! I was a living god!"

    Sam couldn''t get over it no matter what. However, at this moment, with a head-splitting headache everything became clear. He remembered.

    Now he remembered what he saw before nking out. He saw Esdras walking towards him.

    Esdras knelt beside him and forced Sam''s mouth open forcing him to drink a green potion of unknown origin. Sam couldn''t resist he was bleeding out and in no position to try anything.

    However, unexpectedly Sam felt much better only a few moments after taking the potion, his wound actually healed and he was no longer bleeding out. That was how he was alive now.

    Sam was confused, why would Esdras help him? Didn''t he want him dead?

    "Listen," Esdras answered with a bored tone, "I actually don''t know what sort of illusion you saw, asking me about it is pointless. Eventually more so, since I will be the one asking questions."

    Esdras definitely didn''t have the ability to show such an intricate illusion on his own as he was yet to achieve the 1st threshold. But he had other ways to get things done.

    Using a certain milk of the poppy, which had powerful sedative effects along with another hallucinogenic agents was enough to allow his illusions to draw upon Sam''s own desires.

    Esdras chose to inte Sam''s pride and desires for power which created a direction for the dream but he couldn''t control what Sam experienced in his dream. However it was enough, as it created this distortion between the dream and reality which destabilized Sam.

    The amount of Negative energy he harvested was well worth the effort. But now he needed answers to some pressing questions he had.

    "You saved me¡­" Sam stuttered, and looked around, "and them too, why?"

    "Are you deaf? Don''t tell me you went crazy already?" Esdras smacked him across the face again after which snapped Sam to his senses, temporarily.

    "Y-you used ck magic!" Sam shouted, "not just now, from the beginning! When we ambushed you, you made us trip and then made them stab each other! It was your doing all along!"

    Esdras smirked.

 Chapter 137 Consortium, Loans

    "Yeah, well, you can say that. Want to see another ''ck magic'' trick? Watch this."

    Esdras pointed at one of the five apprentices tied to chairs and the entire thing started floating in the air bizarrely, the he used methrower to burn the apprentice midair.

    The apprentice started screaming and howling like a pig, or something even worse. Sam watched in horror as someone burned alive in front of him.

    "But, but you saved me¡­ you need me!" Sam tried to cling to this hope, it was the only way he could see for survival.

    Sigh.

    "Yeah, I saved you. Did you think I wanted to do that? It''s because you did something unnecessary."

    Esdrasst words were meant for Tara who was standing respectfully behind his own chair.

    "I only wanted to show you my loyalty, my lord." Tara quickly knelt down.

    "I know, I know." Esdras rolled his eyes but in fact he was pleased, "you did something on your own but the results were good so get up."

    Esdras patted Tara on the head and smiled at her which validated Tara immediately, this was one of the few good responses she got from Esdras ever.

    "Hey!" Sam yelled in anger, "let her go, you bastard! It''s me you want, let her go. Your ck magic will eventually get exposed and you''ll get what''sing for you, you evil snake!"

    ''Hmm, what? Ooh, I see.''

    "Hehe, let her go? Just like that? I don''t think so." Esdras said with a wicked grin.

    "Imbecile! What do you want with her?" Sam finally understood, it was Esdras''s ck magic that took control of Tara, she wouldn''t betray him on her own, of course!

    He didn''t know anything about ck magic, he just knew that it could do anything, so taking control of another person was possible.

    "I do whatever I want with her, what do you think? She cleans after me, takes care of me and of course¡­ warms my bed." Esdras whispered thest part if it was a big secret.

    "You!!" Sam tried tosh out, although he was exhausted and his anger was burnt out quickly as well. "Even with your ck magic Tara will never submit to you. Never!"

    "Is that true!" Esdras suddenly red at the still-kneeling Tara who quivered immediately and hugged his leg.

    "No, don''t listen to him, I am your loyal ve!"

    Sam felt like someone punched him in the guts, to think that he has that much control over her.

    "I don''t know, seem like Sam thinks you''re up to no good. And who the fuck said you''re my ve?! You''re just a ything, you dumb bitch."

    Esdras kicked Tara off his leg causing her to tumble away a little bit, after she stabilized herself she red at Sam hatefully and then quickly crawled back to Esdras.

    ''The ck magic must be very strong¡­'' Sam thought with difficulty.

    "My lord, I didn''t mean it like that. Sam, that ugly toad is responsible for this. I am your thing to do with as you please."

    "Okay, prove it to him." Esdras said with an evil smirk, "kiss my boots."

    "What?!" Sam blurted in shock.

    Tara brushed her hair to the side and bent down, it wasn''t that hard since she was on the floor anyway. Tara kissed the boot with an audible noise.

    Sam''s heart was broken, he couldn''t believe the sight in front of him. Tara, a woman he thought of as a goddess to be catered to all day long was actually reduced to such a state!

    Esdras''s eyes gleamed with joy, when he decided to confront Sam after he woke up he thought that Sam couldn''t provide anymore negative energy but he was wrong!

    He couldn''t have imagined that this buffoon actually had feelings for Tara! The more he humiliated her the more the energy surged until finally he could hear a cracking noise in his ears.

    Behind him, he could feel his shadow elongate and expand like a living thing. He could feel an immense energy from an infinite distance away from him reach out and connect with him.

    In front of him an ancient-lookingntern took shape, it shook slightly and began to fill up with a colorless liquid of unknown origin, then a candle was formed at the center of thentern and was lit up with a green ghostly me.

    No one else could see thisntern but him, and it symbolized reaching the 1st threshold of the negative energy technique. With this one of his objectives had finallye true.

    A new sense of power filled his body and mind, it was like when he became a True mage. The feeling of growing more powerful was addictive and it fueled his greed and satisfaction at the same time.

    All of his abilities have improved to a suitable level he felt much better. Now then to thest thing he had to get done today¡­

    But, Esdras noticed that Tara was still kissing his boot and she was doing it very creepily too, and moaning while doing it.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Okay, t-that''s enough, Tara."

    Tara looked up at him and he knew she was in heat and he chuckled. This bitch wasn''t giving him any negative energy anymore, she was almostpletely broken.

    "Did you miss me that much?" Esdras stroked her face and she tried to avoid eye contact. "Come on, lift up your robe, let me see."

    Tara did as she was told obediently, Esdras saw her drenched thighs and stroked her pussy through her sexy underwear.

    "You followed my orders right?"

    "Yes¡­"

    "Good, you''ve been a good girl, now go wait outside. I will reward youter."

    "O-okay¡­"

    Tara went out of the cave and Esdras closed the entrance with a rock so that his conversation with Sam will not be overheard. He still didn''t trust Tara yet, she needed more time im training before he asked her what he wanted to know.

    "Alright, Sam, let is get this over with. I want to know why Robert wants me dead so badly?"

    "I am¡­ not sure. He said that we will profit a lot from killing you."

    Esdras sighed, "how so? Am I rich without knowing it? You know lies will do you no good."

    "And what will do me any good? You''re going to kill me anyway, why should I answer any of your questions?!"

    "Lower your voice." Esdras said coldly, "yes, I will kill you, as we both know very well. You won''t walk out of here. But¡­ there''s a difference from one death to another. Do you want to have an easy and timely death or a long and torturous one? I have all day, trust me."

    Sam was still hesitating, it was a hard situation to be in, but, he was someone who gave up on life anyway, it wasn''t hard to push him.

    "Are you still clinging to Robert even though it''s his fault you''re in this situation?" Esdras said slowly as he walked around Sam.

    "H-his fault?" Sam asked back.

    "Obviously, if he didn''t try to kill me, would you still be in this situation? If you weren''t associated with him would you have to die right now? I am targeting you because of that! Did you see me attacking random apprentices?"

    Sam''s eyes shook. Esdras wasn''t even lying, this was the truth and it was very effective.

    "What has he ever done to you, except boss you around like amon ve? If you cover for him, he might get to live and enjoy life! While you get killed here, not even for a mistake you made on your own but something that you were caught up in!"

    "Do you want him to get away with it?" Esdras suddenly grabbed Sam and looked him in the eye, he was convinced.

    "Tell me everything, and I swear I will make sure he joins you in the underworld as soon as possible. You know me right? I will make sure he suffered for what he''s done to you."

    In just a few minutes Esdras threw all of the responsibility at Robert and maneuvered himself to the same side as Sam.

    "He can''t keep getting away with it. Right?"

    "HE. CANT. KEEP. GETTING. AWAY. WITH. IT!!!" Sam roared.

    "Yes, yes he can''t."

    "But, but¡­ you have to promise you''ll leave my family out of this." Sam said something which surprised Esdras.

    "You''re family? Good. I promise I won''t touch them for this matter."

    "Y-you''re not lying are you?"

    "Do I look like that kind of person? In the first ce do I need to lie to the likes of you?" Esdras said with a sincere smile.

    "T-that''s true. Alright, listen. It''s just something that I investigated, Robert wasn''t saying much but I looked into it and my family is from Marincia. It''s something about loans."

    ''Marincia? One of the scattered kingdoms left in the wake of the Golden empire. It had trade wil Kazzat and the Coast baronies thanks to their port. It was a wealthy city kingdom.

    "Loans?" Esdras blurted in confusion. He did not expect to hear this word here and now. "What does my death have to do with any of that?"

    "I don''t know everything, I said so. Just that many Kazzat houses have been buying ves, arms and hiring mercenaries through our city. Houses that shouldn''t have the money for that kind of thing. So, when I heard about it, turns out they were getting huge loans from a Consortium in Kazzat. Why or how? I don''t know anything else."

    So, they want me dead to secure a loan? Esdras grimaced, this situation was much moreplicated than he first thought.

 Chapter 138 Dont Unlock!

    138 Abrupt changes!

    Esdras didn''t have to think for very long to connect the dots and understand. Not everything, but he had a good idea of what was going on now.

    Yes, if he thought about what Redthorn''s letter and what he just heard then things started to make sense.

    An unknown group was giving out loans inrge amounts to the noble houses of the eastern border, one of them being house Castyia, Robert''s house.

    And of course, house Varthos was chief in the eastern border. Esdras''s own house, which was currently hijacked by his dear uncle.

    Naturally, when one asked for loans one had to put out a coteral but his uncle couldn''t take out the same loans that the other lords were getting.

    Because he was not the true lord of house Varthos. He was the one in charge, effectively and in truth, however, Esdras was the lord of the house in every official capacity. And it will always be like that.

    Unless, Esdras were to meet an untimely death that is.

    It wasn''t his uncle growing impatient, it was that he was forced to act quickly by the ultimatums of the consortium. If he waste then the opportunity when the consortium was throwing money away will be gone and he will lose out while everyone else made a fortune.

    It was not hard to assume that his uncle reached a certain arrangement with house Castyia to speed things up.

    Considering these things it was not hard to figure out how things came to be in the past.

    Esdras was not clear about everything yet.

    Why would the consortium give out these loans to these weak and poor houses, and in such amounts? It couldn''t be out of the kindness of their hearts.

    What about the interest rates of these massive loans?

    The consortium gave this money to the starved-for-glory houses of the easter border knowing that it will ignite a war campaign into the Wilnds.

    This is why these houses were buying all sorts of supplies from Marincia and hiring mercenaries from the Scattered kingdoms.

    The only way to pay therge sums of gold they took was to wage war. The consortium may have even put that as one of the conditions of the loans.

    Why would the eastern border houses refuse that? They have even more reason to agree. It was a great chance to expand and erase the shame of the past.

    How could they not jump at this opportunity?

    If his spections were correct so far then it could be said that a mystery that troubled him since transmigrating was solved atst.

    Although he was not sure of the degree of the involvement of the consortium in this plot to kill him. Were they just an unrted third party? Or did they actively scheme against him?

    If it was the former then this whole thing can be considered done with. But, if it was theter then it could prove troubleter on.

    Esdras furrowed his brow as he tried to piece together theplex web of intrigue that now surrounded him. He knew that the consortium''s involvement was pivotal, but he couldn''t quite determine their true intentions.

    Was the consortium merely an opportunistic group looking to make a profit from the desperation of the eastern border houses, or was there a more sinister motive behind their actions? And what role did they y in the plot to end his life?

    He couldn''t ignore the possibility that the consortium was working hand-in-hand with his uncle and House Castyia, actively scheming against him to ensure his demise. If that was the case, then he would have to tread carefully moving forward.

    Esdras realized that he had stumbled upon a massive conspiracy that could have far-reaching consequences, not just for himself and his house, but for the entire region. The prospect of an all-out war campaign into the Wilnds, fueled by the consortium''s loans and the ambitions of the eastern border houses, was a terrifying one.

    He knew that he couldn''t stand idly by and let this scheme unfold without taking action. Esdras needed to gather more information, to uncover the full extent of the consortium''s involvement and to expose the truth behind their machinations.

    As he contemted his next move, Esdras felt a mixture of determination and trepidation. The stakes were incredibly high, and the path ahead was fraught with danger.

    He knew one thing for sure, he must prevent house Varthos from joining the war in the Wilnds. There was no sane man who would throw away money for no reason. Certainly not a consortium with that kind of cash behind them.

    epting the money and marching to war is a mistake. The results of the war didn''t matter, he would be defeated as soon as he epted the loan.

    Esdras made up his mind to keep his identity a secret when he went to report for duty after the Rite of passage. He must not reveal himself in Kazzat unless he waspletely confident.

    With that being done he didn''t waste any time and killed Sam and the rest of his crew. He already got everything he wanted from them, answers and negative energy.

    Esdras walked out of the cave and saw Tara waiting for him.

    "Hey," he said casually, "you did good today. Go on now, you can try to reach the beacon if you like your chances or you can hide here in this cave until they pick you up. What do you think?"

    "Ah, eh, I better stay here¡­"

    "Good choice, you can''t do much on your own. I''ll leave you the rest of the ration bags so you don''t have to worry about taking any risks. I''ll add you as my assistant after I pass as we discussed earlier."

    His suggestion was actually a test, if Tara passed the Rite he wouldn''t be able to add her as an assistant. He was trying to see if she had any unseemly thoughts.

    With the tracking stone on her he would know if she tried to leave this ce and he would kill her in that case.

    It can be said that he didn''t need much information out of her, but she still had her uses. For example against Robertter on. However, the most important reason was her dormant nymph bloodline.

    Tara didn''t know why her powers were growing so quickly after doing it with him but he knew why, it was because of that bloodline.

    As a nymph the more she indulged in depraved acts her bloodline would awaken and when the time came, she would obtain various abilities that works otherwise unobtainable in this world.

    For example, her charming ability that allowed her to control men was very powerful against ordinary men, and that was before she even became a Rank 2 being.

    The most mysterious part is that such bloodlines we''re not seen in this world before, obviously, this was a result of the convergence. And after asking her about her family attorneys out that no member of her family had ever possessed such an ability.

    Not even her mother.

    This means that this bloodline wasn''t exactly restricted to physical means. ording to the pharaoh, this was a ''spiritual bloodline''. Meaning that sometimes you could obtain a bloodline without actually being rted to that bloodline through blood.

    This was an extremely fascinating phenomena to Esdras, who was a very curious man by nature.

    After separating from her for a while Esdras was rmed, he felt that the one of the tracking stones he gave out was cut off. It wasn''t Tara''s, obviously.

    Since this ce was so big, his perception of the stones was not always very clear, however, he could faintly tell the direction and the distance between him and the tracking stones.

    There was a chance that the carrier of the tracking stone moved out of his perception rangepletely, this was not out of the question. However, he would have been able to tell that the carrier of the tracking stone moved out of his perception range slowly.

    And yet, in this case, the signal of the tracking stone disappeared suddenly, as if it was cut off without any warning.

    And this tracking stone belong to Celine.

    A sudden wave of panic washed over Esdras as he realized that the tracking stone signal had been cut off abruptly. His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to make sense of the situation. He knew that Celine was the one carrying this particr tracking stone, and her safety was now of the utmost concern.

    Esdras quickly weighed the possibilities in his mind. Had she moved out of range, or had something more sinister urred? The sudden disappearance of the signal was disconcerting, and he couldn''t shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss.

    Celine was not in the best of states right now. She disyed a concerning behavior every now and then, not to mention the frequent nightmares that she didn''t want to talk about.

    No, this was not the time to think too much, he had to move. Even if it turns out to be a false rm he didn''t care.

    Wasting no time, he decided to follow the faint remnants of the signal in the hope of finding Celine. He didn''t care about stealth anymore, using his superhuman body he dashed ahead with full speed.

    He didn''t care about any trees or beasts, he shed them all down with his trusty greatsword. He might have even killed an apprentice that was unlucky to stand in his way.

    But Esdras didn''t care, he had no intention of slowing down. Something terrible is happening.

 Chapter 139 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 140 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 141 Unexpected answer

    141 Unexpected answer

    A feeling?

    That can''t be right, it was apletely hidden space that even Esdras who was confident in his perception, failed to notice on his own.

    If it wasn''t for the pharaohs warning and help, he would not have been able to figure out how to pass through the formation anyway even if he found it.

    The rock he used to open the formation, looked like any normal rock in the ce. Without the relevant knowledge of how to disable, the formation on would need to be extremely lucky.

    Somehow Esdras wasn''t convinced that Celine was that lucky.

    "Celine, I want you to tell me what is going on." Esdras decided to voice his concerns out. "Even if you think it''s something unbelievable, I need you to tell me."

    Celine looked distraught, she cast her eyes downwards and bit her lips before she looked back at him.

    "I don''t know what to tell you, it''s just¡­ I was feeling that something was going on, and about that deal with the shadowdy. That''s when I started having these dreams, warnings and clues that I couldn''t understand. But¡­ when they dropped me off close by for the Rite that''s when things clicked together."

    Celine paused here and looked at Esdras who nodded calmly, he wasn''t too surprised. Things like this weren''t a big deal to him. Celine continued.

    "Some of the things I saw in my dreams were telling me toe here, this is my only chance."

    "Chance? To do what?"

    "To escape my fate. To fight back. This is the only way before the change happens, it''s almost time." Celine answered with determination.

    Now this did surprise Esdras, "what change are you talking about?"

    Although he had an idea what she was referring to he wasn''t sure because the change wouldn''t happen soon, there''s still time.

    ¡­right?

    "The great change, Esdras. The old powers are awakening, the cold winds are blowing and even things from beyond the stars."

    "I do have some idea about what you''re talking about but isn''t it too soon? Calm down, there''s no need to rush."

    "Soon, I mean less than a day." Celine said cooly.

    Esdras felt goosebumps, "impossible! That can''t be right!"

    "I thought it was impossible too, but my dream has beening true so far. The first change will manifest the beginning in Seorie." Celine shook her head with a distant look on her face.

    "Seorie¡­ that can''t be right. The war is over, Belkazak is dead, the orcs are mostly dead the rest of them are on the run." Esdras denied that possibility, he felt a pit in his stomach.

    "I don''t know what exactly, the details are all clouded but that doesn''t matter. I can''t sit and do nothing while the time runs off. Will you help me? I don''t know what we will find there yet but it''s thest chance."

    Esdras felt his head spinning, it was not long ago when he dismissed the Rite of passage as some formality that didn''t matter. However he didn''t expect that things would take such a wild turn like this.

    Heposed himself and forced his mind to focus on the task at hand as too many thoughts were threatening to fry his brain.

    "I will help you." Esdras nodded, this was the time for action if what Celine said turned out to be true then he had to act quickly, "but you still should have told me all of this when it first started."

    "I''m sorry, I thought I was going crazy¡­" Celine''s eyes went red, about to cry, "thank you for believing in me."

    Esdras pinched her cheeks red, "ooh, don''t think you''re getting away with just some scolding, you had me worried about you. Now, let''s go do what must be done."

    Esdras walked for a bit before he stopped and turned asked, "oh, yeah what was that spell you used?"

    "Which spell?¡­ ah, you mean the Shadow cloak? Actually when I came in here I found a bronze te with many symbols on it, I held it in my hand and suddenly this spell appeared in my head. But the te them turned to ash. It was only thanks to that spell that I couldst against those things."

    Celine shuddered as she exined. Clearly it wasn''t a good memory for her. But actually it was Esdras who was impressed Celine was much more capable than she seemed. She even killed the first giant spider by herself before Esdras came in.

    If this ce held the method by which to save Celine then Esdras was ready to do anything to get it.

    He felt useless, Esdras had believed that he had more time, that he could grow stronger and then face the challenges head-on but unfortunately things didn''t always go as nned.

    Life was unpredictable and could take a turn left at any time. There were things that couldn''t just be solved so easily.

    Esdras and Celine, weary from their intense battle, took a few moments to catch their breath and tend to their injuries. With renewed determination, they cautiously proceeded through the dimly lit hallway, wary of any further dangers or hidden traps that might lie in wait.

    The corridor seemed to stretch on for an eternity, each step echoing through the ancient space. The air grew colder, and an eerie silence enveloped them, only heightening their sense of nervous anticipation.

    As they reached the end of the hallway, they found themselves standing before a colossal, ancient gate. The sheer size and intricacy of the gate left them in awe. Esdras recognized the intricate carvings and designs as belonging to the ancient elves, a civilization long thought to be lost to time.

    The mysterious patterns and strange symbols etched into the gate''s surface seemed to dance and shift before their eyes, casting an otherworldly glow that illuminated the darkness surrounding them. The air hummed with an almost palpable energy, as if the very stones themselves held secrets waiting to be unlocked.

    Esdras and Celine could not help but feel both wonder and trepidation as they gazed upon the ancient elven gate. They knew that they stood at the threshold of something monumental, something that had remained hidden for centuries. The weight of the discovery hung heavily upon them, as they contemted the potential dangers and knowledge thaty beyond the gate.

    They exchanged a nce, acknowledging the sense of unease that lingered in the air. Cautiously, they inspected the area for any signs of traps or hidden mechanisms that might be triggered by their intrusion. Their hands brushed against the cold, intricately carved stone, each symbol seeming to tell a story long forgotten.

    Despite the lingering anxiety, Esdras and Celine could not deny the thrill of uncovering a piece of history that had eluded the world for so long. The prospect of unveiling the secrets held within the ancient gate filled them with excitement and determination. With their resolve steeled, they prepared to venture beyond the threshold, knowing that whatever awaited them, they would face it together.

    Despite the breathtaking beauty and intricate design of the ancient elven gate, Esdras and Celine couldn''t help but notice the signs of decay and damage that had umted over the centuries.

    The once-majestic gate bore the weight of the ages, and in ces, the stone had cracked and crumbled, revealing gaps where the once-perfect seal had faltered. It was evident that the passage of time had taken its toll, and even the powerful magic of the elves couldn''t preserve the gate indefinitely.

    The sight of the gate''s decay served as a stark reminder of the transience of all things, even the most awe-inspiring works of the ancient elves. Yet, despite its imperfections, the gate continued to exude an aura of mystery and power, a testament to the enduring legacy of the civilization that had created it.

    As they carefully inspected the gate, Esdras and Celine searched for a way to open it, mindful of the weakened state it was in. They cautiously navigated the cracks and gaps, wary of causing further damage and potentially triggering any dormant traps or defenses that may have been put in ce by the elves.

    The duo couldn''t help but feel a sense of sadness at the sight of the once-magnificent gate, now marred by the ravages of time.

    But this mncholy was tempered by a fierce determination to find what they were looking for here.

    With abination of care and ingenuity, Esdras and Celine finally managed to unlock the gate, the ancient mechanisms groaning in protest as the doors slowly began to part.

    As they stepped through the threshold, they couldn''t help but feel a sense of reverence for the civilization that hade before them and the indomitable spirit of discovery that had led them to this moment.

    Together, they ventured beyond the broken gate and into the unknown, eager to uncover the mysteries thaty hidden within the depths of the ancient elven stronghold.

    As Esdras and Celine stepped into the chamber beyond the ancient gate, they found themselves in arge, dimly lit room that appeared to be an ancient elvenboratory. The air was heavy with the scent of dust and long-forgotten magic, and an eerie silence hung over the room, as if time itself had stood still within its walls.

    Upon entering the ancientboratory, Esdras and Celine were immediately struck by the sheer scale andplexity of the room. The high, vaulted ceiling seemed to stretch on endlessly, and the walls were lined with rows upon rows of towering bookshelves, filled to the brim with ancient tomes and scrolls.

 Chapter 142 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    But it felt good.

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    This ce was going to be great. He could feel it.

    Meanwhile, while Esdras was strolling calmly, the other apprentices were facing a life and death crisis.

    Through out the day he understood just how ridiculous this test was for normal apprentices. The monsters in here were simply too powerful for apprentices.

    On the first day alone, he faced against giant spiders that build their nests in holes throughout the ce. Next to you for it against denticle the monsters that had sharp razor like teeth at the end of their tentacles, they were callednd krakens.

    And they were too cunning and equal parts ferocious, gathering in packs and using ambushes to gain the upper hand. Esdras had no idea it was to this degree.

    And if that wasn''t enough, they still had to think about food and water, they had to watch their backs for other apprentices. It was a true test that only those powerful and lucky enough would pass.

    [+ 420 EXP]

    He made an awesome harvest by nightfall but he was too excited and he didn''t settle down for the day or set up any camp. However, he was not that concerned, and he was happy to make some EXP after such a long time.

    If he was in a dungeon then he could have made much more, that knowledge dampened his joy. Comparison was really the worst.

    So he decided for one more hunt because he hugged a suspicious noise, and suspected that it was a monster nearby. He decided to act upon the suspicion before settling down for the night.

    Following the noise, he identally stumbled upon a campfire set up by four apprentices, they were huddled around the fire and looking exhausted. There were some blood stains on their robes, and they had weapons with them.

    They only had sleeping bags lined around the fire without making any tents. Probably they did not want to do that because it will make them open for attacks by monsters.

    Esdras did not want any trouble, he did not know them, so he did not have to make any trouble for them either so he decided to leave and go elsewhere.

    "Who are you?" one of them asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

    Esdras stops in his tracks as he hears the voice calling out to him. He turns around to see Aaron, the leader of the group, gesturing for him toe back to the campfire.

    For a moment, Esdras hesitates. He knows that he cannot fully trust anyone in this test of life and death, and the fact that the four apprentices were armed and on guard made him even more wary.

    Esdras decides to approach the campfire cautiously. The four apprentices watch him carefully, their hands on their weapons.

    "I''m Esdras," he responds, his voice calm and steady. "I''m an apprentice like you." Well, that wasn''t exactly true but it wasn''t necessarily wrong either.

    The others look at each other, seemingly unsure of whether to trust him. Esdras can sense their fear and suspicion, and he knows that he needs to be careful.

    "Are you alone?" another one asks.

    "For now," Esdras said honestly, "I was hunting in the swamp and stumbled upon your camp."

    "Do you want to join us for the night? There''s fire, not much else but that to be honest."

    "Thanks for the offer," Esdras says, "but I think I''ll be okay on my own. I don''t want to intrude. As you know this is the Rite and I don''t want create unnecessary tension, it''s better for us to part ways. Good luck."

    Aaron smiles warmly, but Esdras can see a glint of something sinister in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asks. "We could use an extra hand. And it''s safer to stick together, don''t you think?"

    Esdras hesitates for a moment.

    "This Rite is not a death match between us, fellow apprentices. Some people just assume that we have to kill each other for no reason, we must unite and fight together. Is it any harm for us tobine our strengths and pass?"

    Another one of the apprentices chimed up as well, "even if we don''t agree on many things, it shouldn''t stop us from working towards amon goal. Survival."

    "All right," Esdras nodded finally, "I''ll stay for a little while."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The others seem to rx a bit at this, and one of them gestures for him to sit down by the fire. Esdras cautiously took a seat, looking relieved and still a bit on guard to the others.

    As they sit around the fire, the other apprentices introduce themselves. There''s Aaron, a quiet and reserved apprentice who seems to be the leader of the group; Lily, a fierce and determined young woman with a sharp tongue; Marcus, a burly and muscr apprentice who looks like he could take on any monster with ease; and finally, Ethan, a wiry and agile apprentice with a mischievous glint in his eye.

    As they talk, Esdras begins to realize that these apprentices are not like the others he has encountered. They are not out for blood or trying to kill each other; instead, they have formed an alliance, pooling their skills and resources to increase their chances of survival.

    They share their rations with each other and work together to set up traps and keep watch for monsters.

    Esdras was impressed by their resourcefulness and resilience. He realizes that, in a situation like this, having allies is crucial for normal apprentices. He just hopped they wouldn''t try anything stupid.

    As Esdras settled in by the fire, he began to rx. The other apprentices seem friendly and weing, and they share their rations with him.

    However, as the night wears on, he begins to feel uneasy. He notices that the other apprentices are watching him closely, their eyes never leaving him. He can sensed that something is off, but he cannot quite put his finger on it.

    As the night wears on, the apprentices take turns keeping watch while the others rest. Esdras volunteers to take the first watch, wanting to prove his worth to the group.

    As he sits by the fire, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger, he might lend these guys a hand tomorrow as thanks for taking him in. Although he didn''t need the help it wasn''t bad to ept it.

    However, while he was pretending to sleep he heard a troubling noise as he was yanked out of his sleeping bad and tied with a rope. He still didn''t open his eyes and his breathing was uniform.

    "Foolish bastard, this one is." Aaron said, his tone was not gloating, justmenting. "He should have gone away, good guys don''t end up well in this world."

    "Hehe if he wasn''t so foolish we wouldn''t have gotten our hands on his food and water." Lilyughed with evil intent.

    "What to do with him?" Marcus, the one who tied him with the rope asked innocently, he was still the closest to Esdras and kept himself that way. Probably to make sure Esdras didn''t make any sudden moves.

    "¡­ just throw him out," Aaron said with a frown, "we have what we want, let him fend for himself."

    "No way, we should get rid of him. Now." Ethan refuted. Esdras could tell he was the furthest from him, probably rummaging through his stuff.

    "We don''t need to kill him! He''s no threat to us." Aaron snapped.

    "Now, he isn''t but what if he teams up with a couple of his friends andes after uster? We can''t take that chance."

    "You''re the leader, Aaron give the call." Marcus said with confidence as if he wasn''t going to bother himself with thinking about it an instead leave it to someone else. Obviously he wasn''t good with decisions and he knew it.

    Aaron was still hesitating.

    "what do you reckon will happen to him when we throw him out without his food and water he will just die out there more painfully. If we kill him now, we will spare him think about it. We''re actually doing him a favor." Lily added.

    "A dumb guy like him would get killedter on anyway." Ethan nodded.

    Now everyone remain silent, waiting for Aaron''s decision. Esdras waited together with them as well. He was curious what decision Aaron will make after all.

    "¡­ we let him go. Who knows he might find some shelter or foodter on. And if hees after us will just get rid of him then." Aaron said atst with conviction and confidence.

    "Sigh. You''re still a hopeless, fool." Ethan shook his head but didn''t object.

    The other two also had amused expressions as if they also predicted that Aaron will make this decision. They seem to be used to each other.

    "Guys, no matter what we can''t be like the rest of them. We do what we must, but not any more than that. I''m sure together we can do it."

    Aaron started giving a speech that seem to inspire the rest of them. However, they were suddenly interrupted.

    "Hey, I don''t mean to interrupt or anything. I mean clearly you guys have other things going on with you."

    Esdras had an awkward expression and scratched his head with his free hand casually.

 Chapter 143 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    This ce was going to be great. He could feel it.

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    But it felt good.

    Meanwhile, while Esdras was strolling calmly, the other apprentices were facing a life and death crisis.

    Through out the day he understood just how ridiculous this test was for normal apprentices. The monsters in here were simply too powerful for apprentices.

    On the first day alone, he faced against giant spiders that build their nests in holes throughout the ce. Next to you for it against denticle the monsters that had sharp razor like teeth at the end of their tentacles, they were callednd krakens.

    And they were too cunning and equal parts ferocious, gathering in packs and using ambushes to gain the upper hand. Esdras had no idea it was to this degree.

    And if that wasn''t enough, they still had to think about food and water, they had to watch their backs for other apprentices. It was a true test that only those powerful and lucky enough would pass.

    [+ 420 EXP]

    He made an awesome harvest by nightfall but he was too excited and he didn''t settle down for the day or set up any camp. However, he was not that concerned, and he was happy to make some EXP after such a long time.

    If he was in a dungeon then he could have made much more, that knowledge dampened his joy. Comparison was really the worst.

    So he decided for one more hunt because he hugged a suspicious noise, and suspected that it was a monster nearby. He decided to act upon the suspicion before settling down for the night.

    Following the noise, he identally stumbled upon a campfire set up by four apprentices, they were huddled around the fire and looking exhausted. There were some blood stains on their robes, and they had weapons with them.

    They only had sleeping bags lined around the fire without making any tents. Probably they did not want to do that because it will make them open for attacks by monsters.

    Esdras did not want any trouble, he did not know them, so he did not have to make any trouble for them either so he decided to leave and go elsewhere.

    "Who are you?" one of them asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

    Esdras stops in his tracks as he hears the voice calling out to him. He turns around to see Aaron, the leader of the group, gesturing for him toe back to the campfire.

    For a moment, Esdras hesitates. He knows that he cannot fully trust anyone in this test of life and death, and the fact that the four apprentices were armed and on guard made him even more wary.

    Esdras decides to approach the campfire cautiously. The four apprentices watch him carefully, their hands on their weapons.

    "I''m Esdras," he responds, his voice calm and steady. "I''m an apprentice like you." Well, that wasn''t exactly true but it wasn''t necessarily wrong either.

    The others look at each other, seemingly unsure of whether to trust him. Esdras can sense their fear and suspicion, and he knows that he needs to be careful.

    "Are you alone?" another one asks.

    "For now," Esdras said honestly, "I was hunting in the swamp and stumbled upon your camp."

    "Do you want to join us for the night? There''s fire, not much else but that to be honest."

    "Thanks for the offer," Esdras says, "but I think I''ll be okay on my own. I don''t want to intrude. As you know this is the Rite and I don''t want create unnecessary tension, it''s better for us to part ways. Good luck."

    Aaron smiles warmly, but Esdras can see a glint of something sinister in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asks. "We could use an extra hand. And it''s safer to stick together, don''t you think?"

    Esdras hesitates for a moment.

    "This Rite is not a death match between us, fellow apprentices. Some people just assume that we have to kill each other for no reason, we must unite and fight together. Is it any harm for us tobine our strengths and pass?"

    Another one of the apprentices chimed up as well, "even if we don''t agree on many things, it shouldn''t stop us from working towards amon goal. Survival."

    "All right," Esdras nodded finally, "I''ll stay for a little while."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The others seem to rx a bit at this, and one of them gestures for him to sit down by the fire. Esdras cautiously took a seat, looking relieved and still a bit on guard to the others.

    As they sit around the fire, the other apprentices introduce themselves. There''s Aaron, a quiet and reserved apprentice who seems to be the leader of the group; Lily, a fierce and determined young woman with a sharp tongue; Marcus, a burly and muscr apprentice who looks like he could take on any monster with ease; and finally, Ethan, a wiry and agile apprentice with a mischievous glint in his eye.

    As they talk, Esdras begins to realize that these apprentices are not like the others he has encountered. They are not out for blood or trying to kill each other; instead, they have formed an alliance, pooling their skills and resources to increase their chances of survival.

    They share their rations with each other and work together to set up traps and keep watch for monsters.

    Esdras was impressed by their resourcefulness and resilience. He realizes that, in a situation like this, having allies is crucial for normal apprentices. He just hopped they wouldn''t try anything stupid.

    As Esdras settled in by the fire, he began to rx. The other apprentices seem friendly and weing, and they share their rations with him.

    However, as the night wears on, he begins to feel uneasy. He notices that the other apprentices are watching him closely, their eyes never leaving him. He can sensed that something is off, but he cannot quite put his finger on it.

    As the night wears on, the apprentices take turns keeping watch while the others rest. Esdras volunteers to take the first watch, wanting to prove his worth to the group.

    As he sits by the fire, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger, he might lend these guys a hand tomorrow as thanks for taking him in. Although he didn''t need the help it wasn''t bad to ept it.

    However, while he was pretending to sleep he heard a troubling noise as he was yanked out of his sleeping bad and tied with a rope. He still didn''t open his eyes and his breathing was uniform.

    "Foolish bastard, this one is." Aaron said, his tone was not gloating, justmenting. "He should have gone away, good guys don''t end up well in this world."

    "Hehe if he wasn''t so foolish we wouldn''t have gotten our hands on his food and water." Lilyughed with evil intent.

    "What to do with him?" Marcus, the one who tied him with the rope asked innocently, he was still the closest to Esdras and kept himself that way. Probably to make sure Esdras didn''t make any sudden moves.

    "¡­ just throw him out," Aaron said with a frown, "we have what we want, let him fend for himself."

    "No way, we should get rid of him. Now." Ethan refuted. Esdras could tell he was the furthest from him, probably rummaging through his stuff.

    "We don''t need to kill him! He''s no threat to us." Aaron snapped.

    "Now, he isn''t but what if he teams up with a couple of his friends andes after uster? We can''t take that chance."

    "You''re the leader, Aaron give the call." Marcus said with confidence as if he wasn''t going to bother himself with thinking about it an instead leave it to someone else. Obviously he wasn''t good with decisions and he knew it.

    Aaron was still hesitating.

    "what do you reckon will happen to him when we throw him out without his food and water he will just die out there more painfully. If we kill him now, we will spare him think about it. We''re actually doing him a favor." Lily added.

    "A dumb guy like him would get killedter on anyway." Ethan nodded.

    Now everyone remain silent, waiting for Aaron''s decision. Esdras waited together with them as well. He was curious what decision Aaron will make after all.

    "¡­ we let him go. Who knows he might find some shelter or foodter on. And if hees after us will just get rid of him then." Aaron said atst with conviction and confidence.

    "Sigh. You''re still a hopeless, fool." Ethan shook his head but didn''t object.

    The other two also had amused expressions as if they also predicted that Aaron will make this decision. They seem to be used to each other.

    "Guys, no matter what we can''t be like the rest of them. We do what we must, but not any more than that. I''m sure together we can do it."

    Aaron started giving a speech that seem to inspire the rest of them. However, they were suddenly interrupted.

    "Hey, I don''t mean to interrupt or anything. I mean clearly you guys have other things going on with you."

    Esdras had an awkward expression and scratched his head with his free hand casually.

 Chapter 144 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 145 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 146 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 147 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    But it felt good.

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    This ce was going to be great. He could feel it.

    Meanwhile, while Esdras was strolling calmly, the other apprentices were facing a life and death crisis.

    Through out the day he understood just how ridiculous this test was for normal apprentices. The monsters in here were simply too powerful for apprentices.

    On the first day alone, he faced against giant spiders that build their nests in holes throughout the ce. Next to you for it against denticle the monsters that had sharp razor like teeth at the end of their tentacles, they were callednd krakens.

    And they were too cunning and equal parts ferocious, gathering in packs and using ambushes to gain the upper hand. Esdras had no idea it was to this degree.

    And if that wasn''t enough, they still had to think about food and water, they had to watch their backs for other apprentices. It was a true test that only those powerful and lucky enough would pass.

    [+ 420 EXP]

    He made an awesome harvest by nightfall but he was too excited and he didn''t settle down for the day or set up any camp. However, he was not that concerned, and he was happy to make some EXP after such a long time.

    If he was in a dungeon then he could have made much more, that knowledge dampened his joy. Comparison was really the worst.

    So he decided for one more hunt because he hugged a suspicious noise, and suspected that it was a monster nearby. He decided to act upon the suspicion before settling down for the night.

    Following the noise, he identally stumbled upon a campfire set up by four apprentices, they were huddled around the fire and looking exhausted. There were some blood stains on their robes, and they had weapons with them.

    They only had sleeping bags lined around the fire without making any tents. Probably they did not want to do that because it will make them open for attacks by monsters.

    Esdras did not want any trouble, he did not know them, so he did not have to make any trouble for them either so he decided to leave and go elsewhere.

    "Who are you?" one of them asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

    Esdras stops in his tracks as he hears the voice calling out to him. He turns around to see Aaron, the leader of the group, gesturing for him toe back to the campfire.

    For a moment, Esdras hesitates. He knows that he cannot fully trust anyone in this test of life and death, and the fact that the four apprentices were armed and on guard made him even more wary.

    Esdras decides to approach the campfire cautiously. The four apprentices watch him carefully, their hands on their weapons.

    "I''m Esdras," he responds, his voice calm and steady. "I''m an apprentice like you." Well, that wasn''t exactly true but it wasn''t necessarily wrong either.

    The others look at each other, seemingly unsure of whether to trust him. Esdras can sense their fear and suspicion, and he knows that he needs to be careful.

    "Are you alone?" another one asks.

    "For now," Esdras said honestly, "I was hunting in the swamp and stumbled upon your camp."

    "Do you want to join us for the night? There''s fire, not much else but that to be honest."

    "Thanks for the offer," Esdras says, "but I think I''ll be okay on my own. I don''t want to intrude. As you know this is the Rite and I don''t want create unnecessary tension, it''s better for us to part ways. Good luck."

    Aaron smiles warmly, but Esdras can see a glint of something sinister in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asks. "We could use an extra hand. And it''s safer to stick together, don''t you think?"

    Esdras hesitates for a moment.

    "This Rite is not a death match between us, fellow apprentices. Some people just assume that we have to kill each other for no reason, we must unite and fight together. Is it any harm for us tobine our strengths and pass?"

    Another one of the apprentices chimed up as well, "even if we don''t agree on many things, it shouldn''t stop us from working towards amon goal. Survival."

    "All right," Esdras nodded finally, "I''ll stay for a little while."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The others seem to rx a bit at this, and one of them gestures for him to sit down by the fire. Esdras cautiously took a seat, looking relieved and still a bit on guard to the others.

    As they sit around the fire, the other apprentices introduce themselves. There''s Aaron, a quiet and reserved apprentice who seems to be the leader of the group; Lily, a fierce and determined young woman with a sharp tongue; Marcus, a burly and muscr apprentice who looks like he could take on any monster with ease; and finally, Ethan, a wiry and agile apprentice with a mischievous glint in his eye.

    As they talk, Esdras begins to realize that these apprentices are not like the others he has encountered. They are not out for blood or trying to kill each other; instead, they have formed an alliance, pooling their skills and resources to increase their chances of survival.

    They share their rations with each other and work together to set up traps and keep watch for monsters.

    Esdras was impressed by their resourcefulness and resilience. He realizes that, in a situation like this, having allies is crucial for normal apprentices. He just hopped they wouldn''t try anything stupid.

    As Esdras settled in by the fire, he began to rx. The other apprentices seem friendly and weing, and they share their rations with him.

    However, as the night wears on, he begins to feel uneasy. He notices that the other apprentices are watching him closely, their eyes never leaving him. He can sensed that something is off, but he cannot quite put his finger on it.

    As the night wears on, the apprentices take turns keeping watch while the others rest. Esdras volunteers to take the first watch, wanting to prove his worth to the group.

    As he sits by the fire, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger, he might lend these guys a hand tomorrow as thanks for taking him in. Although he didn''t need the help it wasn''t bad to ept it.

    However, while he was pretending to sleep he heard a troubling noise as he was yanked out of his sleeping bad and tied with a rope. He still didn''t open his eyes and his breathing was uniform.

    "Foolish bastard, this one is." Aaron said, his tone was not gloating, justmenting. "He should have gone away, good guys don''t end up well in this world."

    "Hehe if he wasn''t so foolish we wouldn''t have gotten our hands on his food and water." Lilyughed with evil intent.

    "What to do with him?" Marcus, the one who tied him with the rope asked innocently, he was still the closest to Esdras and kept himself that way. Probably to make sure Esdras didn''t make any sudden moves.

    "¡­ just throw him out," Aaron said with a frown, "we have what we want, let him fend for himself."

    "No way, we should get rid of him. Now." Ethan refuted. Esdras could tell he was the furthest from him, probably rummaging through his stuff.

    "We don''t need to kill him! He''s no threat to us." Aaron snapped.

    "Now, he isn''t but what if he teams up with a couple of his friends andes after uster? We can''t take that chance."

    "You''re the leader, Aaron give the call." Marcus said with confidence as if he wasn''t going to bother himself with thinking about it an instead leave it to someone else. Obviously he wasn''t good with decisions and he knew it.

    Aaron was still hesitating.

    "what do you reckon will happen to him when we throw him out without his food and water he will just die out there more painfully. If we kill him now, we will spare him think about it. We''re actually doing him a favor." Lily added.

    "A dumb guy like him would get killedter on anyway." Ethan nodded.

    Now everyone remain silent, waiting for Aaron''s decision. Esdras waited together with them as well. He was curious what decision Aaron will make after all.

    "¡­ we let him go. Who knows he might find some shelter or foodter on. And if hees after us will just get rid of him then." Aaron said atst with conviction and confidence.

    "Sigh. You''re still a hopeless, fool." Ethan shook his head but didn''t object.

    The other two also had amused expressions as if they also predicted that Aaron will make this decision. They seem to be used to each other.

    "Guys, no matter what we can''t be like the rest of them. We do what we must, but not any more than that. I''m sure together we can do it."

    Aaron started giving a speech that seem to inspire the rest of them. However, they were suddenly interrupted.

    "Hey, I don''t mean to interrupt or anything. I mean clearly you guys have other things going on with you."

    Esdras had an awkward expression and scratched his head with his free hand casually.

 Chapter 148 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 149 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 150 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    But it felt good.

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    This ce was going to be great. He could feel it.

    Meanwhile, while Esdras was strolling calmly, the other apprentices were facing a life and death crisis.

    Through out the day he understood just how ridiculous this test was for normal apprentices. The monsters in here were simply too powerful for apprentices.

    On the first day alone, he faced against giant spiders that build their nests in holes throughout the ce. Next to you for it against denticle the monsters that had sharp razor like teeth at the end of their tentacles, they were callednd krakens.

    And they were too cunning and equal parts ferocious, gathering in packs and using ambushes to gain the upper hand. Esdras had no idea it was to this degree.

    And if that wasn''t enough, they still had to think about food and water, they had to watch their backs for other apprentices. It was a true test that only those powerful and lucky enough would pass.

    [+ 420 EXP]

    He made an awesome harvest by nightfall but he was too excited and he didn''t settle down for the day or set up any camp. However, he was not that concerned, and he was happy to make some EXP after such a long time.

    If he was in a dungeon then he could have made much more, that knowledge dampened his joy. Comparison was really the worst.

    So he decided for one more hunt because he hugged a suspicious noise, and suspected that it was a monster nearby. He decided to act upon the suspicion before settling down for the night.

    Following the noise, he identally stumbled upon a campfire set up by four apprentices, they were huddled around the fire and looking exhausted. There were some blood stains on their robes, and they had weapons with them.

    They only had sleeping bags lined around the fire without making any tents. Probably they did not want to do that because it will make them open for attacks by monsters.

    Esdras did not want any trouble, he did not know them, so he did not have to make any trouble for them either so he decided to leave and go elsewhere.

    "Who are you?" one of them asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

    Esdras stops in his tracks as he hears the voice calling out to him. He turns around to see Aaron, the leader of the group, gesturing for him toe back to the campfire.

    For a moment, Esdras hesitates. He knows that he cannot fully trust anyone in this test of life and death, and the fact that the four apprentices were armed and on guard made him even more wary.

    Esdras decides to approach the campfire cautiously. The four apprentices watch him carefully, their hands on their weapons.

    "I''m Esdras," he responds, his voice calm and steady. "I''m an apprentice like you." Well, that wasn''t exactly true but it wasn''t necessarily wrong either.

    The others look at each other, seemingly unsure of whether to trust him. Esdras can sense their fear and suspicion, and he knows that he needs to be careful.

    "Are you alone?" another one asks.

    "For now," Esdras said honestly, "I was hunting in the swamp and stumbled upon your camp."

    "Do you want to join us for the night? There''s fire, not much else but that to be honest."

    "Thanks for the offer," Esdras says, "but I think I''ll be okay on my own. I don''t want to intrude. As you know this is the Rite and I don''t want create unnecessary tension, it''s better for us to part ways. Good luck."

    Aaron smiles warmly, but Esdras can see a glint of something sinister in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asks. "We could use an extra hand. And it''s safer to stick together, don''t you think?"

    Esdras hesitates for a moment.

    "This Rite is not a death match between us, fellow apprentices. Some people just assume that we have to kill each other for no reason, we must unite and fight together. Is it any harm for us tobine our strengths and pass?"

    Another one of the apprentices chimed up as well, "even if we don''t agree on many things, it shouldn''t stop us from working towards amon goal. Survival."

    "All right," Esdras nodded finally, "I''ll stay for a little while."

    The others seem to rx a bit at this, and one of them gestures for him to sit down by the fire. Esdras cautiously took a seat, looking relieved and still a bit on guard to the others.

    As they sit around the fire, the other apprentices introduce themselves. There''s Aaron, a quiet and reserved apprentice who seems to be the leader of the group; Lily, a fierce and determined young woman with a sharp tongue; Marcus, a burly and muscr apprentice who looks like he could take on any monster with ease; and finally, Ethan, a wiry and agile apprentice with a mischievous glint in his eye.

    As they talk, Esdras begins to realize that these apprentices are not like the others he has encountered. They are not out for blood or trying to kill each other; instead, they have formed an alliance, pooling their skills and resources to increase their chances of survival.

    They share their rations with each other and work together to set up traps and keep watch for monsters.

    Esdras was impressed by their resourcefulness and resilience. He realizes that, in a situation like this, having allies is crucial for normal apprentices. He just hopped they wouldn''t try anything stupid.

    As Esdras settled in by the fire, he began to rx. The other apprentices seem friendly and weing, and they share their rations with him.

    However, as the night wears on, he begins to feel uneasy. He notices that the other apprentices are watching him closely, their eyes never leaving him. He can sensed that something is off, but he cannot quite put his finger on it.

    As the night wears on, the apprentices take turns keeping watch while the others rest. Esdras volunteers to take the first watch, wanting to prove his worth to the group.

    As he sits by the fire, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger, he might lend these guys a hand tomorrow as thanks for taking him in. Although he didn''t need the help it wasn''t bad to ept it.

    However, while he was pretending to sleep he heard a troubling noise as he was yanked out of his sleeping bad and tied with a rope. He still didn''t open his eyes and his breathing was uniform.

    "Foolish bastard, this one is." Aaron said, his tone was not gloating, justmenting. "He should have gone away, good guys don''t end up well in this world."

    "Hehe if he wasn''t so foolish we wouldn''t have gotten our hands on his food and water." Lilyughed with evil intent.

    "What to do with him?" Marcus, the one who tied him with the rope asked innocently, he was still the closest to Esdras and kept himself that way. Probably to make sure Esdras didn''t make any sudden moves.

    "¡­ just throw him out," Aaron said with a frown, "we have what we want, let him fend for himself."

    "No way, we should get rid of him. Now." Ethan refuted. Esdras could tell he was the furthest from him, probably rummaging through his stuff.

    "We don''t need to kill him! He''s no threat to us." Aaron snapped.

    "Now, he isn''t but what if he teams up with a couple of his friends andes after uster? We can''t take that chance."

    "You''re the leader, Aaron give the call." Marcus said with confidence as if he wasn''t going to bother himself with thinking about it an instead leave it to someone else. Obviously he wasn''t good with decisions and he knew it.

    Aaron was still hesitating.

    "what do you reckon will happen to him when we throw him out without his food and water he will just die out there more painfully. If we kill him now, we will spare him think about it. We''re actually doing him a favor." Lily added.

    "A dumb guy like him would get killedter on anyway." Ethan nodded.

    Now everyone remain silent, waiting for Aaron''s decision. Esdras waited together with them as well. He was curious what decision Aaron will make after all.

    "¡­ we let him go. Who knows he might find some shelter or foodter on. And if hees after us will just get rid of him then." Aaron said atst with conviction and confidence.

    "Sigh. You''re still a hopeless, fool." Ethan shook his head but didn''t object.

    The other two also had amused expressions as if they also predicted that Aaron will make this decision. They seem to be used to each other.

    "Guys, no matter what we can''t be like the rest of them. We do what we must, but not any more than that. I''m sure together we can do it."

    Aaron started giving a speech that seem to inspire the rest of them. However, they were suddenly interrupted.

    "Hey, I don''t mean to interrupt or anything. I mean clearly you guys have other things going on with you."

    Esdras had an awkward expression and scratched his head with his free hand casually.

 Chapter 151 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 152 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 153 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 154 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 155 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 156 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    As they stood in line, Esdras couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. He had never seen anything like this before. The anticipation grew as he waited for his number to be called. It was a very fun atmosphere this time.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

 Chapter 157 Dont Unlock!

    This ce was going to be great. He could feel it.

    Meanwhile, while Esdras was strolling calmly, the other apprentices were facing a life and death crisis.

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    But it felt good.

    It had been a while since he got his hands in some EXP, thankfully things worked out better than he thought. He could kill monsters to his heart''s content which passing time.

    Through out the day he understood just how ridiculous this test was for normal apprentices. The monsters in here were simply too powerful for apprentices.

    On the first day alone, he faced against giant spiders that build their nests in holes throughout the ce. Next to you for it against denticle the monsters that had sharp razor like teeth at the end of their tentacles, they were callednd krakens.

    And they were too cunning and equal parts ferocious, gathering in packs and using ambushes to gain the upper hand. Esdras had no idea it was to this degree.

    And if that wasn''t enough, they still had to think about food and water, they had to watch their backs for other apprentices. It was a true test that only those powerful and lucky enough would pass.

    [+ 420 EXP]

    He made an awesome harvest by nightfall but he was too excited and he didn''t settle down for the day or set up any camp. However, he was not that concerned, and he was happy to make some EXP after such a long time.

    If he was in a dungeon then he could have made much more, that knowledge dampened his joy. Comparison was really the worst.

    So he decided for one more hunt because he hugged a suspicious noise, and suspected that it was a monster nearby. He decided to act upon the suspicion before settling down for the night.

    Following the noise, he identally stumbled upon a campfire set up by four apprentices, they were huddled around the fire and looking exhausted. There were some blood stains on their robes, and they had weapons with them.

    They only had sleeping bags lined around the fire without making any tents. Probably they did not want to do that because it will make them open for attacks by monsters.

    Esdras did not want any trouble, he did not know them, so he did not have to make any trouble for them either so he decided to leave and go elsewhere.

    "Who are you?" one of them asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

    Esdras stops in his tracks as he hears the voice calling out to him. He turns around to see Aaron, the leader of the group, gesturing for him toe back to the campfire.

    For a moment, Esdras hesitates. He knows that he cannot fully trust anyone in this test of life and death, and the fact that the four apprentices were armed and on guard made him even more wary.

    Esdras decides to approach the campfire cautiously. The four apprentices watch him carefully, their hands on their weapons.

    "I''m Esdras," he responds, his voice calm and steady. "I''m an apprentice like you." Well, that wasn''t exactly true but it wasn''t necessarily wrong either.

    The others look at each other, seemingly unsure of whether to trust him. Esdras can sense their fear and suspicion, and he knows that he needs to be careful.

    "Are you alone?" another one asks.

    "For now," Esdras said honestly, "I was hunting in the swamp and stumbled upon your camp."

    "Do you want to join us for the night? There''s fire, not much else but that to be honest."

    "Thanks for the offer," Esdras says, "but I think I''ll be okay on my own. I don''t want to intrude. As you know this is the Rite and I don''t want create unnecessary tension, it''s better for us to part ways. Good luck."

    Aaron smiles warmly, but Esdras can see a glint of something sinister in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asks. "We could use an extra hand. And it''s safer to stick together, don''t you think?"

    Esdras hesitates for a moment.

    "This Rite is not a death match between us, fellow apprentices. Some people just assume that we have to kill each other for no reason, we must unite and fight together. Is it any harm for us tobine our strengths and pass?"

    Another one of the apprentices chimed up as well, "even if we don''t agree on many things, it shouldn''t stop us from working towards amon goal. Survival."

    "All right," Esdras nodded finally, "I''ll stay for a little while."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The others seem to rx a bit at this, and one of them gestures for him to sit down by the fire. Esdras cautiously took a seat, looking relieved and still a bit on guard to the others.

    As they sit around the fire, the other apprentices introduce themselves. There''s Aaron, a quiet and reserved apprentice who seems to be the leader of the group; Lily, a fierce and determined young woman with a sharp tongue; Marcus, a burly and muscr apprentice who looks like he could take on any monster with ease; and finally, Ethan, a wiry and agile apprentice with a mischievous glint in his eye.

    As they talk, Esdras begins to realize that these apprentices are not like the others he has encountered. They are not out for blood or trying to kill each other; instead, they have formed an alliance, pooling their skills and resources to increase their chances of survival.

    They share their rations with each other and work together to set up traps and keep watch for monsters.

    Esdras was impressed by their resourcefulness and resilience. He realizes that, in a situation like this, having allies is crucial for normal apprentices. He just hopped they wouldn''t try anything stupid.

    As Esdras settled in by the fire, he began to rx. The other apprentices seem friendly and weing, and they share their rations with him.

    However, as the night wears on, he begins to feel uneasy. He notices that the other apprentices are watching him closely, their eyes never leaving him. He can sensed that something is off, but he cannot quite put his finger on it.

    As the night wears on, the apprentices take turns keeping watch while the others rest. Esdras volunteers to take the first watch, wanting to prove his worth to the group.

    As he sits by the fire, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger, he might lend these guys a hand tomorrow as thanks for taking him in. Although he didn''t need the help it wasn''t bad to ept it.

    However, while he was pretending to sleep he heard a troubling noise as he was yanked out of his sleeping bad and tied with a rope. He still didn''t open his eyes and his breathing was uniform.

    "Foolish bastard, this one is." Aaron said, his tone was not gloating, justmenting. "He should have gone away, good guys don''t end up well in this world."

    "Hehe if he wasn''t so foolish we wouldn''t have gotten our hands on his food and water." Lilyughed with evil intent.

    "What to do with him?" Marcus, the one who tied him with the rope asked innocently, he was still the closest to Esdras and kept himself that way. Probably to make sure Esdras didn''t make any sudden moves.

    "¡­ just throw him out," Aaron said with a frown, "we have what we want, let him fend for himself."

    "No way, we should get rid of him. Now." Ethan refuted. Esdras could tell he was the furthest from him, probably rummaging through his stuff.

    "We don''t need to kill him! He''s no threat to us." Aaron snapped.

    "Now, he isn''t but what if he teams up with a couple of his friends andes after uster? We can''t take that chance."

    "You''re the leader, Aaron give the call." Marcus said with confidence as if he wasn''t going to bother himself with thinking about it an instead leave it to someone else. Obviously he wasn''t good with decisions and he knew it.

    Aaron was still hesitating.

    "what do you reckon will happen to him when we throw him out without his food and water he will just die out there more painfully. If we kill him now, we will spare him think about it. We''re actually doing him a favor." Lily added.

    "A dumb guy like him would get killedter on anyway." Ethan nodded.

    Now everyone remain silent, waiting for Aaron''s decision. Esdras waited together with them as well. He was curious what decision Aaron will make after all.

    "¡­ we let him go. Who knows he might find some shelter or foodter on. And if hees after us will just get rid of him then." Aaron said atst with conviction and confidence.

    "Sigh. You''re still a hopeless, fool." Ethan shook his head but didn''t object.

    The other two also had amused expressions as if they also predicted that Aaron will make this decision. They seem to be used to each other.

    "Guys, no matter what we can''t be like the rest of them. We do what we must, but not any more than that. I''m sure together we can do it."

    Aaron started giving a speech that seem to inspire the rest of them. However, they were suddenly interrupted.

    "Hey, I don''t mean to interrupt or anything. I mean clearly you guys have other things going on with you."

    Esdras had an awkward expression and scratched his head with his free hand casually.

 Chapter 158 Donâ€™t Unlock!

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Most of the other apprentices are too nervous to eat, but Esdras and his friends, David, Celine, Vivi, and Dylen, manage to eat and rest properly.

    Esdras woke up on the day of the Rite of Passage feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He got dressed and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they are escorted to a great courtyard where they are given number badges and told to stand in line. They are only allowed to respond after their number is called. Those who are called are taken to the stables where a true mage waits with a Pegasus. All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Finally, his turn came and he was led to the stables where a magnificent Pegasus awaited him. The creature was pure white, with wings that glimmered in the sunlight.

    Esdras couldn''t believe his eyes at seeing this creature so closely,st time he saw these creatures it was from afar. Their beauty was majestic.

    Once he was seated on the Pegasus, the world around himpletely transformed. The ground fell away beneath him, and he soared high into the sky, feeling the wind whip through his hair. The sensation of flight was exhrating, and Esdras let out a whoop of joy.

    This was different from riding on the Arrowhawk or taking a ne, this time he was able to feel the air and see for himself what flying was like. At least it was close enough.

    Only Master mages could fly in the sky freely, just like Master Ashran did recently when he destroyed the orcs army single-handedly. Great mages could levitate and fly for a bit but not much after that.

    As for mages, Air elemental mages could use spells like ''Jump'' or ''featherfall'' to look the part to some extent.

    As they continued their flight, Esdras couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible sights around him. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the clouds below them morphed and shifted in surprising patterns. He also spotted a dazzling array of wildlife, some of which he had never even heard of before.

    In the distance, he saw a group of majestic winged creatures soaring through the sky, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. And below, along the coast, there were schools of brightly colored fish darting in and out of the coral reefs.

    After hours of flight they finally approached their destination, the in of Unworthy Dead, the testing grounds. Unlike the things he saw before, here there were only darker sights.

    Dead trees stood tall and lifeless, and the ground was barren and barren. Strange growls and snarls echoed through the air, and Esdras knew that there were monsters lurking below, unseen and hungry.

    It was all so surreal yet beautiful that Esdras was leftpletely breathless. He couldn''t wait to explore this colorful world further and see what other wonders it held.

    As they flew, Esdras couldn''t help but feel like he was on an incredible adventure. From the sky, he could see the world like never before. But suddenly, the mage on the Pegasus dropped him down at a random spot, and Esdras found himself alone in a strange and wonderful world.

    They fly on the Pegasus for hours until they happen upon a great dead in. An unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.

    Before he was dropped off he was briefed on the rules of the Rite the True mage flying with him, the mage didn''t bother to introduce himself and Esdras didn''t care to ask either.

    There was a tall beacon tower at end of the ins and they had to reach there within one week. This was the only condition for passing and apprentices were permitted to use whatever method they wanted.

    Those who die in this test will not be inquired about, the tower was unconcerned about what caused their deaths.

    The final category was mages that survived for the seven days but didn''t clear the test. These apprentices must fine work with True mages as assistants for life, if not then they would be reduced to servants working in the tower grounds and looking after the new batch of apprentices.

    All the apprentices are separated from one another and given only a bag of rations containing some jerky, cheese, and water.

    Esdras was dropped off at the edge of the dead in, and he watches as the other apprentices are dropped off in different areas. He takes a moment topose himself and then begins to survey his surroundings. He sees a dense forest in the distance and decides to head there, hoping to find some shelter and possibly some food and water.

    The forest was eerily silent as Esdras continued to trudge through it. The only sound that could be heard was the crunching of dried leaves beneath his boots. It felt like he had been walking for hours, and the trees only seemed to grow thicker and taller as he progressed.

    It was unusual swamp covered in various colorful trees and enclosed between high cliffs and great swamps, it was a ce swarming with monsters and beasts. Each apprentice is dropped off at random.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As Esdrasnds in a patch of swampy ground, he immediately senses that something is off. The air is thick with the smell of decay, and strange, unnatural noises echo all around him. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for whatever challengesy ahead.

    Suddenly, a low growl emanated from somewhere behind him. Esdras spun on his heels, already knowing what he was about to face. Before him stood a pack of razor-toothed wolves, their fur as ck as midnight, and their eyes gleaming with hunger.

    These weren''t just any wolves, but Winter Wolves, able to freeze the air around them and create deadly ice spikes. They were equivalent to level 4 apprentices, and one could easily lose his life to them if he was paying attention.

    Esdras was happy that he had such luck, as soon as he took his first step he had such a fortuitous encounter. This was a good chance to test a few things first.

    Suddenly, a barrier of magic appeared in front of him, shimmering gold in the sunlight.

    This was one of the spells woven into his Crimson mage robe, a special reward from Merrh. These were robes of elvish origin, they could not be created by today''s magic.

    [Mystical shield] was an elven spell which didn''t belong to the four elements system.

    Two of the wolves mmed headfirst into the shield of light, attempting to tackle him no doubt but the shield actually repelled them both and Esdras only felt a slight force pushing him back.

    The wolves changed strategy, they surrendered him and collectivelyunched ice spikes at him. Esdras didn''t do anything, the spiked were repelled by the shield but the light dimmed and started flickering.

    Esdras quickly realized that his shield was weakening against the Winter Wolves'' ice attacks. He needed to act fast and find a way to defeat them before the shield crumbledpletely.

    ''Oh, no. I am in danger!''

    Is probably what normal apprentices would be think in this situation, huh. Anyway¡­

    Before the shield could be broken he waved his hand.

    He concentrated on his water magic, drawing moisture from the air and the ground around him. With a flick of his wrist, he directed a stream of water towards the nearest wolf, freezing it solid.

    Is the wolves weren''t going all out using their ice spikes the atmosphere wouldn''t have been cold enough. This was on them.

    The other wolves hesitated for a moment, surprised by Esdras''s sudden attack. But they quickly regained theirposure and lunged at him again.

    This time, Esdras used his fire magic to create a wall of mes, blocking their path. And then he caused the fire wall to expand and explode.

    The wolves tried to break through the mes, but they couldn''t withstand the intense heat. One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies smoldering and their ice magic dissipating.

    Esdras knew he couldn''t always depend on his robe to protect him, it was only good enough to block the equivalent of two spells from a True mage. He needed to continue mastering his skills and learn new spells to face tougher opponents.

    When the five wolvesbined their attacks it was no joke.

    [+ 175 EXP]

    With a sense of aplishment, he continued on his journey, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. He was able to learn what the robe could do.

    Now, more things to learn about.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!