As Wain's group emerged from the cavern, many of the surrounding monsters looked upon him with admiration, as he was able to deal with the terrifying existence from the cave.
However, Wain paid little attention to their admiring gazes and promptly began issuing instructions since the issue was dealt with.
"Old Potato, you will oversee the construction of the settlement. Rryk, find out which tribe is the most powerful in the Barestone Mountains. Kadden..." He paused, noting Kadden's unsightly appearance.
"Go wash yourself," he concluded and went to find a secluded spot. Now that they had finally settled down, it was time for him to break through. His encounter with the fallen angel had made it clear that he was still too weak, and powerful enemies could lurk around any corner.
Meanwhile, Luarin also exited the cave and surveyed the situation in the valley, her lips curling into a sly smile. "So, this is how it is," she mused.
Originally, she had been wary of Wain's unknown strength, but upon observing the group he commanded, she was convinced that he couldn't possess a level higher than 2nd grade. Although his possession of high-grade potion and courage to face her were still a mystery, she no longer feared him.
With these thoughts in mind, she found an empty space and focused on her recovery. Although she promised to leave in exchange for the potion, she had no intention of obeying low-grade monsters, and she would make use of their protection until she had fully recuperated.
Wain noticed that Luarin was still sitting nearby, and he frowned. He had hoped that the fallen angel would leave as she had agreed, but it seemed she had other intentions that remained a mystery to him.
"She doesn't appear to be hostile, at least," Wain thought to himself as he retrieved two mana cores he had been saving for some time. Both were from 2nd-grade creatures they had encountered in Barestone Mountains, and Wain had kept them for the sole purpose of using them to break through to the 2nd-grade.
While these mana cores were incredibly valuable to him, they held no worth for Luarin. Thus, he didn't bother hiding them and seeing him absorb low-grade mana cores only further confirmed Luarin's suspicion that Wain wasn't powerful enough to pose a threat to her.
Wain was already quite proficient at strengthening his mana core, so he began to absorb the mana cores at a rapid pace, soon noticing several changes within him.
About five minutes passed, when Luarin suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze directed at nearby Wain. "Huh?" She blinked, her shock evident, when she noticed the sudden change in mana surrounding Wain. "He's breaking through?!"
Breaking through was typically a challenging process, often taking many hours or even days. Yet, Wain had been sitting for just a few minutes, and he already appeared to be on the verge of achieving a breakthrough. She never witnessed such a speed before.
Which grade is he breaking through? Luarin observed the surrounding mana curiously, realizing that Wain had gathered too much for a 2nd-grade breakthrough, yet not enough for a 3rd-grade breakthrough, which left her confused even more.
At that moment, the mana surrounding Wain dramatically increased in density, marking his successful breakthrough. Luarin was dumbfounded observing Wain's effortless breakthrough, but what shocked her even more was Wain's mana at the moment.
Not only was the density of mana surrounding Wain was far more than what was typical for someone who had just broken into the 2nd-grade, but his aura also had a pitch-black color with traces of violet mixed within, clearly indicative of the chaos element
Up until now, Luarin thought Wain lied about being the Apostle of Chaos, finding his claim laughable. However, the sight of his current mana made it undeniable and she had to accept the reality before her.
"Could he be an infant dragon?" She thought, since Wain's connection to Ollios was clear from his aura, but he possessed strength far from an adult dragon. Despite the mystery of why a dragon would lead a band of goblins, this seemed to be the only reasonable explanation.
The realization of Wain's potential identity briefly tempted her with the potential benefits of killing a dragon. However, her momentary impulse was followed by a sharp understanding of the consequences of such an act… Dragons' wrath!
The scent of the dragon's blood would stick with her for decades and if a dragon smelled the blood of his kin on her, they would go mad trying to kill her. Under these conditions, even her master, Sarganos Zulmar, a formidable demon king at the 8th-grade level, who could rival even a true dragon, wouldn't be willing to protect her.
She was just a mere pawn for him after all, so it wasn't worth confronting a dragon for her sake. The combination of fear and temptation filled her as she observed Wain.
"I made it," Wain slowly opened his eyes, confirming his successful breakthrough to the 2nd grade.
"System: Congratulations, you have reached the lower realm of 2nd-grade."
"System: Your race has changed into Chaos Human."
[Chaos Human] (Unique race)
Description: A human recognized by the God of Chaos, Ollios.
Intelligence +20%
Chaos Element Affinity +15%
"System: You have unlocked a passive skill [Chaos Soul]."
Wain studied the notification, noticing a significant change in his body. Not only did his mana core grow more powerful, but it also changed color into a pitch-black core with hints of violet light within it.
This the result of [Chaos Soul], which empowered all on his attack by a chaos element, significantly increasing their strength.
Eager to test his newfound abilities, Wain summoned a [Fireball], inspecting the dark flame that formed above his palm. Though the [Fireball] didn't differ much in size, Wain could sense the considerably increased strength it carried.
Despite being a 1st-grade spell, he doubted even a 2nd-grade monster could ignore its formidable power. Furthermore, his improved affinity with the chaos element made casting and manipulating the spell significantly easier, further increasing his combat power.
After testing the spell, he dispelled it and continued consolidating his mana core after the breakthrough, while Luarin stared at him with fear in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Luarin watched him with a mix of fear and awe. That was Chaos Flame! The memory of the flame sent a shiver down her spine.
Although Hellfire was commonly recognized as the strongest fire, she had once heard of a dragon who commanded even greater power, the Chaos Flame!
Not only was Chaos Flame almost inexhaustible, but it also possessed many mysterious properties, such as the ability to burn mana. Although Luarin never experienced the effects of Chaos Flame herself, she still couldn't help but tremble upon seeing it.
What kind of dragon was Wain? She started thinking that Wain's origins may not be so simple, and disappearing from this place may not be a bad option after all.
…
As dusk settled in, Rryk returned with news for Wain. "Master, I have gathered rumors from surrounding tribes, and it seems that the most powerful clan in the vicinity is the Mountain Orc Tribe," he reported proudly.
"Mountain Orcs?" Wain repeated. His mana core consolidation was complete, and power overflowed from his body, causing Rryk to tremble from his newly acquired strength.
"Y-Yes," Rryk replied, not daring to hide any details. He continued, "I heard that their bodies are empowered by the earth element, making them very hard to kill. Furthermore, their leader is believed to be at the peak of 2nd-grade, and he is considered the overlord of this mountain."
Wain nodded, understanding the information. "You've done well," he complimented Rryk and sent him off. If the Chieftain of the Mountain Orcs could become an overlord in this area, it meant that Wain wouldn't face many difficulties as long as he remained careful and didn't provoke the Mountain Orc Chieftain himself.
After all, although he just reached the 2nd-grade, with the bonuses he received[Chaos Soul], he was confident in facing even stronger opponents. He believed he could handle any challenges that came his way.
With these thoughts in mind, Wain left the still-under-construction settlement and set out for a hunt. Nighttime was when he was in his element, and he had run out of mana cores, so he needed additional resources to continue improving his strength.