Regard grabbed Max's shoulder. "There are some things that are almost impossible to achieve."
Max quickly withdrew as he heard this. "Does that mean you will not help me get stronger?"
Regard pursed his lips. "That's not it. I'm just saying that this path is extremely difficult… Do you really want to walk it?"
Max spoke with hesitation. "As long as I can achieve the strength required to kill that fox, then I will do anything."
The frogs remained silent at the side, looking at Max with pitiful gazes. Only they were slightly knowledgeable about the prowess of Kitsune. Her level of power during her prime was outright ridiculous.
But they kept this to themselves, not willing to bring down the resolve Max held. Maybe later, but now, they couldn't afford to be the reason why he would sink completely into despair.
Meanwhile, Regard felt the need to explain some things to Max. "Max, even though being a Sage is something admirable and it comes with benefits rivaling and maybe even surpassing the limits of magic but still…"
"Reggie boy." Frog grandpa called out at that moment, cutting Regard off. The latter turned to him with Max turning to face him as well.
Frog grandpa sent a single word across. "Don't."
Regard remained silent but quietly turned his attention back to Max with the latter doing same. They exchanged looks once again.
He could see it now. The grim expression that Max had on his face.
Regard could tell the implications of the expression. Max was indeed aware that his resolution was nigh impossible to achieve but he still said it and now he needed reinforcement to push him forward.
If Regard went ahead with what he had in mind, then there would be no turning back. No matter what else he says afterward, there would only be one outcome: Max will surely end his life.
Coming to terms with his thoughts, Regard restructured what he wanted to say. "Still, if you want to face off against a terrifying existence like Kitsune, then you'd best be prepared to go the extra mile. Are you willing?"
Max's grim expression disappeared like it never existed as he replied without hesitation. "Yes."
Regard nodded. "Fine then, I will do my best to take you as far as possible but you would have to finish this journey alone."
Frog grandpa and grandma spoke up simultaneously. "We will also support you."
Max forced a smile as he felt warm inside. "…Thank you."
With his goal reinforced, Max regained his composure. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the thorny path laid out for him. No matter what, he must come out on top!
"I guess we should head over to see the old geezer now." Frog grandma remarked with the others agreeable.
Filled with curiosity as they began their journey to meet with a certain old geezer, Max asked. "Who is this old geezer we are going to meet?"
Regard replied. "The leader of the Golden Clover and the oldest frog in existence."
Max was surprised. "Oldest frog?"
Frog grandpa followed up. "Mn, he has been around even before the first War for Supremacy."
"He must be really powerful." Max mused.
Frog grandma scoffed. "Powerful, indeed. That old geezer just sits around all day and spouts weird prophecies."
Max felt weird as he thought of it, a frog that was capable of prophecies, it was a strange sight.
But then, he had a different thought. "Oi sensei, Ordena, and Magic are different in the sense that one is the will of the world while the other is born from existences in other realms, right?"
Regard nodded. "Indeed."
"And the three great natural laws of the world can only be touched upon by using Ordena?"
Frog grandpa caught on to what he was getting at. "You are wondering how the old geezer can prophesy even though we are meant to be existences born of magic, right?"
Max nodded.
"Well, that's because we frogs have gone through quite a lot to grasp Ordena."
Max questioned. "I don't get."
Frog grandma chipped in. "Let me explain. For existences like us that are born of magic, it's almost impossible to grasp Ordena but for humans, it's easier. We have a few guesses as to why that is the case but that's beside the point.
"In any case, The old geezer has been fascinated with Ordena ever since he came into contact with it thus he has sacrificed most of his life to peer into its mysteries which in turn affected his offspring.
"After several thousands of years, he was able to grasp Ordena well enough to be able to peer into time and we as his offspring have also gained some benefits, being able to touch into some of the mysteries of Ordena.
"But of course, it also came with drawbacks. We age like normal humans, our evolution is slowly turning into that of the human race and stuff like that."
Max nodded in understanding. So Ordena was so eye-catching that the frogs were able to sacrifice the benefits of magic to chase after it.
It gave him, even more, hope for the level of power achievable as a Sage.
After quite some time discussing, they finally got to a large cave.
Max was stunned by the sheer size of the entrance, comparable to mountains in the human realm.
Frog grandpa walked up to the entrance and called out. "Oi, Old geezer, Reggie boy is here to see you."
A few seconds passed before a dignified voice came through. "Come in."
Frog grandpa gestured for them to follow as they made their way into the cave.
After a few minutes of walking, They finally got to a hall in the cave.
Max studied the cave as they came in and it looked like something that had been artificially carved out instead of a work of nature.
Meanwhile, the hall looked like a palace for a hermit with a large space enough for over a thousand people as well as different art forms placed around to give the area an aesthetic feel.
Just then, the dignified voice was heard again. "I have been expecting you."
Max turned to the source and was stunned to the point of stumbling back and falling on his butt.
Just ahead at the northernmost part of the hall on a stone throne, an old frog the size of a small mountain sat there with his eyes closed.
Max had the urge to exclaim but he held back the urge, completely taken in by the sagely aura the frog held.
The frog slowly opened his eyes. "Regard… are you here to see me or you are here for your disciple?"
Regard bowed as he responded. "For both, if that's okay with you."
The frog sighed as it turned its attention to Max. "Child… why are you here?"
Max quickly knelt and kowtowed. "I want to become stronger."
The frog studied him briefly before sighing once again. "The path you wish to take… it is filled with severe pain and heartache. You will suffer a lot but if you are strong enough to persevere, you might just emerge victorious. Are you sure you want to go down such a path?"
Max bit down on his lower lip. All his life, he had gone through hell, so doing it once again wasn't exactly a big deal. The main issue was his endpoint.
If there was even a slight chance that he would come out on top in the end, then he was willing to take it, thus he replied filled with resolve.
"Yes."
The old frog nodded. "I like your resolve, here is a gift from me."
The old frog put up a finger and pointed it at Max. A green light emerged and shot into Max's head.
Max felt something stir within him as he put his head up. "Thank you, senior."
"It is no matter, just a small gift. How you use it is up to you. Now come, let us begin the ritual." The old frog turned to frog grandpa and gave the signal.
Immediately, a large scroll moved out from a hidden corner and flew up to Max, landing just in front of him before unrolling itself.
On it, there was a single name there.
Max asked. "What is this?"
Regard explained. "The summoning contract of Golden Clover. Signing your name on it with blood allows you to summon anyone from here as long as you expend the corresponding energy."
Having understood what was required, Max did not hesitate to move forward before biting his thumb to draw blood after which he slowly signed his name.
Once done, Max withdrew his finger as he came to a realization…
His journey had only just begun!