Hours had passed, and now the cloak of midnight had settled over Emberfall City. While most of its residents were wrapped up in a peaceful slumber, William found himself in the heart of the forest, engaging in relentless combat with an encircling horde of monstrous beasts.
The scene around him was akin to a battlefield after an intense war. The corpses of hundreds of vanquished monsters littered the ground, their lifeblood seeping into the earth, staining it a chilling crimson. The once clean, fresh forest air was now saturated with the heavy, metallic scent of blood. William himself was no exception; he stood amidst the carnage, his entire body smeared with the gore of his fallen adversaries.
His breath came in ragged, heaving gasps as exhaustion started to take a toll on him. His arms trembled subtly under the weight of his blood-soaked spear. His body yearned for rest, yet he pressed on, not willing to surrender to his fatigue.
It was the first time William had pushed himself to such an extreme. Initially, he had only planned on a relatively light monster hunt to brush up on his skills and better his combat techniques. However, his training under Elder Chronos had rapidly escalated to a grueling session where he was persistently pitted against formidable opponents. Throughout these two relentless hours, there had been no moment of respite. Each minute was filled with heart-pounding action, where he was either vigorously swinging his spear or strategically deploying his Shadow Manipulation in the battles.
The beastly symphony of the night played on relentlessly. As William felled each monster, their blood seeped into the forest floor, its pungent scent rising into the air. This robust aroma of fresh blood, a tantalizing call to the ravenous beasts, lured in more monsters, creating an endless cycle of incoming opponents for William.
As the minutes ticked by, the sporadic groups of 5 to 10 monsters that had initially attacked him, began to amalgamate into larger groups. He was no longer just facing a handful of beasts, but was now confronted with collective hordes of 40 to 65 monsters. The challenge was escalating, the tension was ratcheting up; initially, he was barely managing to hold his ground against a single level 2 monster, but now, he was facing groups which comprised multiple creatures of the same level. The arduousness of his predicament had amplified manifold.
Several times, William found himself teetering on the precipice of defeat, staring death in its cold, unblinking eyes. Each time, Chronos would intervene with his powers, pulling him back from the jaws of certain death, only to prod him back into the relentless fray. The tally of defeated monsters was growing; he had already vanquished several hundred of them.
"Doesn't seem like there's an end to this monster carnival," William muttered under his breath, his voice heavy with fatigue. Gathering his strength, he leaped into the air and brought his spear crashing down, cleaving the head of the last remaining dire wolf clean off its body.
As the final wolf succumbed, falling heavily to the ground, William took a moment to scan his surroundings. A macabre tableau of death stretched out before him; fallen monsters littered the ground, their lifeless eyes staring blankly into the nothingness. His heart weighed heavy in his chest as he voiced his mounting frustration, "With all these level 1 monsters and over a dozen level 2s I've killed, it feels like I'm treading water. It's as if I'm forever stuck at level 1." The thought sparked a sense of irony within him, as he recalled how back on Earth, the games he played in high school made leveling up seem like child's play. But here, the reality of the situation was a stark contrast.
Chronos let out a hearty laugh, his old eyes twinkling with amusement. He found a strange comfort in William's frustration, a mirror reflecting his own struggles from years past. Back in his youthful days, when he had first become an Ascender, he too had spent countless hours in the pursuit of leveling up. However, he had never faced the predicament William found himself in - the anomaly of battling numerous level 2 monsters whilst still being stuck at level 1.
"Young man, you make leveling up sound like a stroll in the park. It took me three and a half long years to make it to level 2. There were times when I just wanted to throw in the towel, give up on the whole 'gaining experience points' ordeal," Chronos said, the memories of those frustrating times painting a wistful smile on his face. William, upon hearing Chronos's confession, felt his heart sink. Three and a half years just to reach level 2 seemed like an eternity.
Reading the disappointment etched across William's face, Chronos felt the need to provide some perspective. "Listen, William," he began, his voice calm yet firm, "I've come to learn that it isn't always about the level of an Ascender. Chasing after experience points might leave you running in circles for years without much growth. Instead, you should focus on honing and mastering your skills. That's not to say that you should entirely ignore the prospect of advancing to higher levels. Rather, while keeping your sights set on leveling up, you must also ensure not to neglect the potential of your skills. Each skill we possess harbors a vast pool of untapped potential. Yet, the tragedy is that most of us barely scratch the surface." William nodded his head in understanding.
"Another wave of monsters," William voiced, his words heavy with exhaustion. His gaze followed the ominous silhouettes of the creatures as they emerged from the dark undergrowth, drawn by the scent of blood and the allure of battle.
From his vantage point high above on a sturdy tree trunk, Chronos watched the unfolding spectacle. There was an unspoken fact that Chronos had yet to share with William. In his own time, Chronos had been unable to combat any monster that was a level higher than him. For three grueling years, he had relentlessly battled and slain countless level 1 monsters to finally attain level 2. Yet, here before him was William, a prodigy of sorts, a natural-born warrior who defied all known conventions. William was persistently engaging and defeating not just one, but multiple level 2 monsters despite being merely a level 1 Ascender himself.
Even after witnessing William vanquishing nearly two dozen level 2 monsters, Chronos found it challenging to fully comprehend and accept this reality. 'What kind of formidable creature are you, young man?' he silently mused as he studied William from his perch. Chronos chose not to voice his thoughts, but deep within, he harbored the conviction that if William continued at this ferocious pace, he would ascend to level 2 in a mere month. After all, the defeat of level 2 monsters awarded significantly more experience points compared to their level 1 counterparts.
As the possibility of William's rapid progress took root in his mind, Chronos found a smile playing on his lips. 'The shock and awe that would ripple through the populace if they ever learned that my apprentice shattered previous records, reaching level 2 in the span of a single month...' The thought amused him greatly, eliciting a light chuckle from his seasoned lips.
Even the most exceptional prodigies typically required about a year to elevate to level 2. The potential speed of William's advancement was nothing short of astonishing. Chronos could only imagine the uproar such news might incite. 'If word of this reaches the Night Empire, they would undoubtedly become intensely interested in William. They would undoubtedly exhaust every resource to lure him into their military ranks,' Chronos mused with a sense of unease.
Chronos was a man who had spent over 120 years experiencing the complexities and nuances of life. He did not wish for William to enlist in any military forces. Not because the Night Empire was inherently malevolent, but rather due to the rampant corruption that tainted its military infrastructure. It was a rot that had infiltrated every layer, from the lowest foot soldiers to the highest-ranking generals.
The military was a formidable entity, its might nearly surpassing that of the Emperor himself. 'The Supreme Commander's ambitious eyes might very well turn toward the throne in the near future,' Chronos thought, his expression grim. This was the main reason why Chronos had consciously distanced himself from the military and the capital, choosing to live a solitary life away from the heart of the Empire.
"Alright, William, I think that's enough for tonight," Chronos called out, his voice echoing in the still night. He had seen the young man push his physical boundaries to the limit, and he didn't want him to go beyond that point, risking unnecessary damage or fatigue that would require several days to recover.
"Okay," William replied with a nod. The sudden sound of numerous black chains lashing out from his back echoed through the quiet forest. A level 2 monster, maddened with hunger and aggression, lunged at him. Yet, instead of intercepting the attack or countering it, he seemed to withdraw. The black chains darted towards a large tree about 50 meters away. As the chains coiled around the massive tree trunk, they constricted and pulled, yanking William swiftly away from the monster's path.
The monster, already injured and wary, did not pursue William. It eyed him with a sense of caution, still on guard, but also curious. Its attention, however, was quickly diverted by the sight of a carcass from a previously slain monster. Its hunger got the better of it and it began to tear into the remains, appeasing its voracious appetite. It was too famished to chase after William and too enticed by the easy meal lying right before its eyes. It was, after all, a creature of basic instincts - hunger being a primary one.
"Time to head back, follow me," Chronos instructed, turning his back to the wilderness and starting to tread along the path that led them out of the forest. William cast one last glance at the chaotic battleground behind him before trailing along. He was mindful of his Mana reserves; they had dwindled significantly from the intensive fighting. Instead of summoning shadow wings, which would drain the rest of his Mana, he opted for a more economical approach.
He channeled his remaining Mana to manifest multiple black chains from his Shadow Manipulation. With these chains, he deftly swung from tree to tree, reminiscent of a spider navigating its vast web. As he propelled himself forward with each swing, he managed to keep pace with Chronos.
Once they emerged from the forest's shroud, Chronos guided William to a nearby river. This was the same river that coursed through Emberfall City, acting as its lifeblood.
"Clean yourself up, I'll wait for you here," Chronos offered, pointing towards the river. William didn't waste any time and promptly leaped into the river. The river water, crystal clear and pure, welcomed him with a refreshing embrace. It worked to remove the grime, sweat, and residual blood from his skin. As he resurfaced, he could feel a renewed sense of vigor.
As William clambered out of the river, Chronos handed him a pair of pants and a cloak to drape over his body. His old clothes, stained and torn from the relentless fighting, were discarded, forgotten amidst the undergrowth. The cloak was warm and the pants fit him well; as he put them on, he felt a sense of gratitude towards Chronos. The old man, in his own way, was taking care of him.
"Let's head back," Chronos suggested, pointing towards the direction of Emberfall City that lay about eight kilometers away. With a nod of acknowledgment, William fell into step beside him, matching his slow yet steady pace.
They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the gentle rustling of the leaves under their feet and the distant nocturnal symphony of the forest accompanying them. However, this tranquil atmosphere was abruptly shattered by Chronos's question. "William, you're a Hero from another world, aren't you?" he asked casually, as if he was just inquiring about the weather.
The question hit William like a lightning bolt. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening in surprise and his heart pounding loudly against his chest. This was his deepest secret, known only to Isabella. The fact that this elderly man had discovered it left him utterly shocked.
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