Jeffery's lifeless body grabbed Anon's hand, and it started vibrating.
"Huh...? Are you still al��" Before Anon could say anything, Jeffery threw Anon away with just one hand.
Anon immediately regained his balance in mid-air and safely landed on the ground. Upon landing, he noticed that Jeffery was standing up again, but something was terribly wrong with him.
Jeffery's body emitted a white aura, and his skin had turned a pallid white, with blackened lips. His appearance was worse than that of a corpse.
"What the heck happened to him?"
"What was in that pill?"
"I heard it was a banned pill given by Mr. Xander."
"Where did you hear that?"
"Mr. Ion was yelling at his son; he mentioned it."
The students exchanged comments as they observed the strange transformation in Jeffery's body.
"Let's see what's changed in your body, Mr. Jeffery," Anon said as he used his skill to examine Jeffery.
[Name: &�̦�+!?-]
[Race: (+++??)]
[Class: +(//_() ]
[MP: /+/+/]
[HP: \]=]]
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"What the heck... Ahhhhh... my head hurts," Anon exclaimed.
As soon as Anon examined Jeffery's status, he experienced a sharp headache.
'Ouch... What's wrong with him?' Anon thought as he hastily closed Jeffery's status and scrutinized him.
Jeffery appeared like a lifeless body, slowly opening his eyes, which were pitch-black like a demon's.
Anon was astonished by this transformation and began to take the situation more seriously. He summoned his sickles and assumed a defensive stance.
Gradually, Jeffery's body began to levitate in the air.
"Hey, that's cheating. Flying isn't allowed," Anon protested as he watched Jeffery ascend into the sky.
"Oh no, it's that skill," Ion muttered as he saw Jeffery's body rise into the clouds and come to a stop in mid-air.
When Jeffery heard Anon's voice, he looked down and smiled at him, revealing monstrous, pitch-black teeth.
"Hello, friend," Anon greeted with an odd smile.
Jeffery began descending rapidly, aiming directly for Anon.
"Ah, darn it," Anon muttered as he sidestepped, but Jeffery altered his trajectory to follow him.
His speed increased as he plummeted from the sky, resembling a shooting star wreathed in flames, hurtling toward Anon with tremendous force.
[Your opponent has used the skill (Evening Star)]
[The Evening Star]
[The Evening Star is a forbidden and enigmatic skill shrouded in the annals of elven history. Reserved exclusively for those rare Mana Awakened elves, it stands as a chilling testament to the extremes to which power can be harnessed. When invoking the Evening Star, the user willingly surrenders themselves to the embrace of darkness, allowing it to inexorably drain their life force to its very depths.
This eerie skill, once initiated, defies any attempt at cancellation or reversion. It's an irreversible pact between the elf and the consuming abyss. In exchange for the sacrifice, the Evening Star bestows a single, potent wish upon its wielder. This wish, regardless of its nature, is granted with otherworldly precision.
However, the price of this unholy communion is absolute. Once the wish is fulfilled, the darkness, having quenched its thirst for life force, envelops the user entirely. It's a grim and inevitable conclusion, a testament to the unforgiving nature of the Evening Star. It remains a dark and mysterious chapter in elven lore, serving as a somber reminder of the dire consequences that can accompany the pursuit of ultimate power.]
[Warning: If the wish is not completed, the user's body will still be consumed by Darkness.]
As Jeffery approached Anon, his bloodlust intensified. The pressure on Anon's body grew unbearable.
'Okay, I can still take him on if I just-' Before he could've thought anything else the pressure on his body grew up to the double intensity of what it was just a moment ago and this phenomenon repeated itself as Jeffery closed his distance between him and Anon.
"Fuck... I can't defeat him... I have to OverCharge��" Before Anon could finish his sentence, he noticed the pressure on his body gradually decreasing. He turned and saw Ion standing directly behind him.
"Get out of the way, kid, if you want to live," Ion ordered.
[Master, he's right. You can't withstand a single blow from that thing.] Link advised.
Anon quickly stepped aside and observed Ion closely.
Suddenly, Ion's body emitted a profound and powerful aura. He let go of his cane, assuming a defensive stance.
"Gwaaahhhhhhhhhhh...." Jeffery emitted a chilling sound as he attacked Ion.
As soon as their bodies made contact, a massive explosion occurred, enveloping the entire arena in a cloud of dust.
Boooom
A powerful wave of aura emanated from the stadium as the collision took place.
Cough-Cough
Everyone in the vicinity coughed as they tried to peer through the dust-filled arena.
After a moment, the dust began to settle, and onlookers observed the center of the arena.
Blood trickled from Ion's mouth, and he had a hole in his right shoulder.
"Drat... he's injured. He can't withstand another attack," Anon stated as he started walking toward Ion. However, when the dust finally cleared, he saw Ion holding Jeffery's head in his right hand.
Anon was stunned to his core upon witnessing this scene. He couldn't kill Jeffery in a single exchange, yet Ion had accomplished it.
"Father... are you okay?" Xander shouted as he ran toward Ion.
Ion halted him by raising his hand.
"B-But, Father..."
"Stay right there," Ion instructed firmly. He then walked toward Anon.
'Why is he coming over here?' Anon wondered, confused by Ion's actions.
"Boy, use that locket on me," Ion said, pointing at Anon's troll locket.
"Y-Yes..." Anon was surprised that Ion knew about the locket but didn't question him. He removed the locket and touched it to Ion's body.
Ion's body began to heal, although the process was slow.
"Huh... I think this locket is broken," Anon remarked as he removed the locket from Ion's body and touched it again, but the healing rate remained the same.
"Don't worry, boy. This thing works slowly on Awakened individuals, but it's a valuable asset to have," Ion said, smiling at Anon.
The arena lay in brutal ruin. Anon, Ion, and Xander sat together while a team of 20 healers diligently worked on repairing Ion's internal injuries.
Suddenly, the head healer stood up and fixed a sorrowful gaze on Xander. He was a human with blonde hair and green eyes, someone Anon recognized as the best healer in the human kingdom after the great mother.
"What? What's going on? Why are you looking at me like that?" Xander demanded, his expression turning angry.
"Sir, we need to talk," the chief healer replied.
Xander and the human healer moved to a secluded area and began conversing. Anon used his heightened senses to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Sir, your father..."
"What? What happened to him? Why do you look so distraught?" Xander asked with a grave expression.
"His heart has been struck by negative mana, and not just any negative mana, but the darkest kind. His heart is beating in reverse," the chief healer explained.
"What? What do you mean by 'beating in reverse'?" Xander asked, his face a mask of confusion.
"Let me clarify. Picture our hearts beating in a steady, normal rhythm, processing mana with every pulse. Our hearts absorb impure mana and convert it into pure, usable mana while expelling impurities. But Mr. Ion's heart is doing the opposite; it's absorbing impurities and expelling purified mana, much like..."
"...a demon would," Xander finished, his face aghast.
"Yes," the healer replied somberly.
"How long until he turns into a demon?" Xander inquired.
"I'm sorry, but we can't say for certain. However, I would advise you to consider ending his life for the safety of everyone," the chief healer recommended.
At this suggestion, a heavy aura of malevolence emanated from Xander.
"Hey, Healer, you don't seem to understand who you're talking about. He's my father, and no one talks about killing my father," Xander growled, grabbing the healer by the neck and lifting him into the air.
"Ghha... I-I... Cough-Cough Am... Sorry," the healer choked out, his life nearly leaving him.
Bonk
A cane suddenly struck Xander's head.
"Ouch... Father...?" Xander exclaimed, looking at Ion.
"Release him," Ion ordered.
"Yes, Father. He's one lucky bastard," Xander remarked as he released the healer, who began to cough and gasp for breath.
Xander promptly went to Ion, grabbing his hand and expressing deep concern. "Father, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Don't fret," Ion assured him with a smile.
"Father, the healer said—"
"I heard what the healer said. Just ignore him; they know nothing about me. He's just a foolish human," Ion stated.
"Father, this whole situation is his fault. If he had died in that arena, you wouldn't have had to face that creature and get hurt like this. I will kill him, Father," Xander declared, casting an angry glance at Anon.
"It's not his fault, you foolish son. When will you take responsibility for your own mistakes? This was meant to be a simple deathmatch, but you gave him a banned pill. That's why I had to intervene in that arena. I had to kill him because of you, because of your mistake. Don't blame it on him," Ion rebuked angrily.
"I... I'm sorry, Father. Please forgive me, and let's go home," Xander said, looking down and apologizing.
"No, Xander. It's time for you to take charge of the family business," Ion declared as he stood up and pointed toward Anon.
"What?!" Xander exclaimed, bewildered and shocked.
"Yes, Son. It's time for you to officially lead the Jane Family and elevate its name to new heights."
"But, Father..."
"No buts. As of today, I declare you the official leader of the Jane Family. Let's go, boy," Ion urged, gesturing for Anon to follow.
Anon stood and trailed after Ion. He wasn't certain where they were headed, but he felt it was the best course of action.
"Grandpa, what are you doing? Are you leaving me, your granddaughter, like this?" Jeena questioned, her eyes brimming with tears as she hugged Ion tightly.
"My dear granddaughter, don't worry. I'll be back before you know it. You know what? Xander was just like you when he was in the academy, spoiled and full of attitude. But he learned his lesson. Now it's your turn.
I hope you become a strong and powerful woman rather than a spoiled, attitude-filled brat, okay?" Ion said, smiling.
"Yes, Grandpa," Jeena replied, tears streaking her cheeks, hugging him once more.
'What a family drama,' Anon thought, watching them hug and exchange farewells.
Afterward, Jeena and Ion separated, and Ion resumed his departure.
"Father, at least tell me when you'll return," Xander implored, tears now streaming down his face.
"Soon," Ion answered, pausing for a brief moment and smiling at him.
Xander immediately dropped to his knees, watching his father leave the academy, while Jeena went to his side and held onto his arm for support.
"Father, are you all right?" She asked.
"Yes, dear. Let's go back," Xander replied, gazing at Jeena as they walked toward their carriage.
Everyone else left the arena and returned to their homes.
"Where are we going?" Anon inquired of Ion.
"I had planned to teach you this technique with slow demonstrations over the course of 30 years, but I don't have that kind of luxury now, i don't have the luxury of time. I only have one week left to live, and I must teach you everything during that time. So, let's go."
"What do you mean?" Anon asked, surprised.
"I'm going to take one week from your life to teach you the most valuable technique in the world. I could choose to spend this time with my family, but this technique is more important and valuable than my own life. Now, I'll ask you this once: Do you want to learn this technique or not? Your answer will change your entire life. Think carefully before responding. You can lose your life easily, but if you learn this technique, no one on this planet will be able to defeat you. So, what's your answer, human?"
"I accept," Anon replied, his expression unwavering as he met Ion's gaze.
'I don't know why I am doing this but this offer seems very profitable to me... what if this technique can help me in beating that god's candidate ?' Anon thought as he smiled.
"Good. Now, gather enough food to last you a week because we'll be heading to a remote location for training, you will have no contact with anyone in this kingdom for the next 7 days..." Ion instructed, his eyes on Anon.
"Should I buy food for you as well?" Anon inquired.
"No, just get enough for yourself. I'll handle my provisions," Ion replied.
Both of them ventured into the bustling marketplace of the elven kingdom.
"I'll meet you back here in 20 minutes. Do you need to inform anyone about your absence for the next 7 days ?" Ion asked.
"Well, not particularly," Anon responded.
"Good. Now, go and prepare. We'll leave in 20 minutes," Ion directed before walking away.
Anon mused to himself, "Wow, this is exciting. I'm heading to a deserted place with an old man who only has a week to live. He's going to teach me the world's strongest technique, and here I am, talking to myself when I should be getting some food."
"Hmm... How much for that poison ?" Ion asked a shopkeeper.
"Dear customer, this thing costs 2 coppers but I will give it to you for only 1 copper." The shopkeeper spoke.
"Okay, I will buy all of them."
"A-All of them, Sir ?" The shopkeeper asked with a confused expression.
"Yes, pack everything."
Twenty minutes later...
Both of them reconvened at the same spot.
"Did you buy enough food?" Ion inquired.
"Yes, I've got enough for a month," Anon replied.
"Good. Let's go," Ion said, and they began walking toward the Evensong Forest.
"Wait a minute, that's the Evensong Forest, and if I remember correctly, it's not deserted at all; it's teeming with dangerous monsters," Anon exclaimed.
"Just follow me," Ion responded.
"Well, okay—"
Wooof
Anon suddenly heard a barking sound and turned to locate its source.
As he spun around, he spotted a small injured puppy in an alley, blood oozing from its wounds.
"What's going on? Why did you stop?" Ion asked, glancing at Anon.
"Gin, is that you, boy?" Anon inquired with a puzzled expression.
Woof
Gin barked weakly before losing consciousness.
Anon hurried to Gin, cradling him gently. "How did you survive, boy?" he asked, starting to remove his troll locket to use its magic on Gin.
However, Ion swiftly grabbed Anon's hand, preventing him from doing so. "No, don't do it," Ion cautioned with a serious expression.
"What? Why not? He'll die if I don't do something right now. He's my first pet; I can't let him die," Anon protested.
[Cough-Cough-Cough] Link pretended to cough, seeming a bit offended by Anon's "first pet" comment.
"No, look," Ion began, pointing to the puncture wounds on Gin's body.
"What?" Anon asked, baffled.
"These holes contain seeds from the deadly tree. You must have encountered it in the Evensong Forest, right?" Ion inquired.
"Yes, I did. He jumped in front of the tree to save me. But now you're not letting me save him, and you're talking about some nonsense," Anon explained.
"It's not nonsense. These seeds grow within their hosts, siphoning their mana and life force to spawn another deadly tree like the one you encountered. If you use your locket on him, it'll become useless within seconds, but these seeds will gain enough energy to grow. I don't want a deadly tree sprouting up in our kingdom," Ion clarified.
Understanding Ion's explanation, Anon examined Gin's wounds closely, noticing tiny seeds within them.
"What should I do now? Remove the seeds first and then heal him?" Anon asked Ion.
"No, give him a healing potion first and then remove the seeds," Ion advised.
"But healing potions contain mana..." Anon began.
"They do, but only in small amounts. They are mostly liquid and alchemical. The healing potion will sustain him, and then you can slowly extract the seeds. Once the seeds are out, you can use your locket on him," Ion explained.
"Okay, let's proceed then," Anon said, retrieving a healing potion from his inventory and gently administering it to Gin.
"That's not a dog, is it? No dog can carry these seeds inside and survive for over an hour," Ion commented with a smile, acknowledging Anon's chimera creation.
"What now? I've made him drink the entire bottle of the healing potion," Anon said.
Chk
Ion conjured a dagger and handed it to Anon. "Heat it up and then remove the seeds," Ion instructed.
(Fire Ball)
Anon employed the Fire Ball spell to heat the dagger until it glowed red-hot, then ceased and carefully began extracting the seeds from Gin's body.
Mnhhwooofff
Gin barked softly each time Anon removed a seed, a process that took 10 minutes to complete.
"Can I use the locket now?" Anon inquired.
"No, first confirm if there are any other seeds within him," Ion ordered.
"How?" Anon asked.
"Supply mana to him. If you sense your mana being drained into his body, it means he still has seeds," Ion explained.
"Okay..." Anon said, supplying mana to Gin.
After giving Gin mana, Anon glanced at Ion and reported, "Mana is flowing normally into him; there's no suction. What's next?"
"Good. Now you can use your locket on him," Ion instructed.
Anon removed his locket and placed it over Gin's unconscious form. Within seconds, Gin's wounds closed, and he appeared to be a healthy puppy once more.
"These seeds might prove useful in a dire situation. I'd suggest storing them somewhere safe," Ion advised, pointing to the seeds scattered on the ground.
"Alright," Anon agreed, promptly stowing the seeds in his inventory.
Woof-Woof
Gin stirred, licking Anon's feet.
"Hello, boy. How are you feeling?" Anon asked Gin.
Woof-Woof
Gin barked in response, continuing to lick Anon's feet.
"Oh, I'm fine," Anon replied, chuckling.
"We should get going," Ion said.
"Yes," Anon agreed, rising to his feet and following Ion. Gin tagged along.
Anon, Ion, and Gin ventured within the depths of the Evensong Forest.
They had been walking for the past five hours, and the sun was gradually descending, marking the approach of evening. Once night fell, the forest's hidden monsters would emerge for their nocturnal hunts.
"Where exactly are we headed?" Anon inquired of Ion.
"You'll find out soon enough; don't worry," Ion responded calmly.
"I'm only asking because the sun will set in about an hour. We should set up camp somewhere safe and continue our journey tomorrow," Anon suggested.
"Let me ask you something, human. If your destination were right in front of you, would you go for it, or would you camp in front of it to claim it with ease and safety tomorrow?" Ion countered.
"Is our destination here?" Anon inquired with a grin.
"Just a bit further," Ion replied as he resumed walking.
'Fuck you, Old man.' Anon thought as he showed him the middle finger from behind.
"I can sense that." Ion spoke as he kept walking.
After approximately 20 minutes, they encountered a colossal banyan tree. This tree appeared ancient, its size and thickness akin to a five-story building on Earth. It was entirely enshrouded in aerial roots.
The roots were also long and thick, akin to a big rope. They were coming from the top all the way to it's bottom.
"This is it," Ion declared with a smile, looking at the tree.
"What? Our destination was a tree?" Anon questioned, perplexed.
"Follow me," Ion instructed, heading straight toward the tree.
"Where are you—" Anon began, but before he could finish his sentence, he observed Ion mysteriously vanish into the banyan tree.
"What the heck?" Anon muttered, bewildered, as he gazed at the tree.
"Come quickly, kid," Ion's voice beckoned from the other side.
"Yeah," Anon responded, walking toward the banyan tree. He tried to touch the tree's trunk, but his hand passed through it as if it were an illusion.
"This seems like an illusion, but why am I experiencing it? I'm supposed to be immune to illusions due to my class," Anon wondered as he entered the tree's interior, with Gin following him.
Inside, he noticed a colossal spiral staircase spiraling down the tree, featuring ancient designs.
"What the fuck ? This tree is hollow from inside ?" Anon thought as he looked above the tree and then looked down at the spiral staircase.
"Come boy, we have to reach our destination before the night falls." Ion directed, proceeding down the stairs.
"Where do these stairs lead ?" Anon inquired as he followed Ion.
"You'll see; just keep following," Ion replied with an evil smile.
"Where on earth am I being taken to and every time I asks, he just gives me that creepy smile. I mean who smiles like that ?" Anon pondered as he continued trailing Ion.
After the initial 100 steps, Anon sensed a change in the environment. The air grew denser with each step, making his progress more challenging.
"Ummm... do you feel it ?" Anon asked Ion.
"Don't fret about the force; it's intended," Ion reassured.
Twenty minutes later...
The gravitational pull increased to five times that of the surface. Anon managed it with his mana, but Ion seemed unfazed, walking normally as if unaffected by the intensified pressure. He wasn't even using his mana to protect his body.
Eventually, the staircase led to a massive iron gate.
"Where are we?" Anon inquired.
"For me, it's akin to a playground now. But for you, I'd call it hell," Ion replied with a smile.
"What do you mean by that?" Anon asked, puzzled.
"Hehehe, let's discuss it inside," Ion suggested, opening the door.
They entered a vast room furnished with various training equipment, such as large dumbbells, iron rods and weights, skipping ropes, and more.
*Thud*
Upon entering the room, the gates sealed shut, and a notification appeared before Anon.
[You have entered a area]
Anon felt his mana rapidly dissipating. As soon as it left his body, he was exposed to the immense gravitational force within the room.
Bwahhh
Anon vomited and fell to his knees.
"What...the..." Anon attempted to speak, but his tongue felt too heavy.
"Don't worry, son; you'll get used to this soon," Ion said, taking a seat nearby and engrossing himself in an ancient-looking book.
Suddenly, the effects of the Null area ceased, and Anon could utilize his mana once more. He swiftly formed a protective barrier around himself. However, another notification materialized.
[You have entered a area]
Once again, he experienced the same sensation, collapsing to the ground.
"Let me clarify, kid. This room is constructed upon a Tier-7 Null array. It activates whenever you use mana inside the room and deactivates when you don't. This will help you learn to control your desires and manage mana according to your will, not your needs.
Sometimes, you believe you're commanding mana to move and shield your body, but it's not you who's in control—it's your mind. It tricks you into thinking you're in charge," Ion elucidated.
'Huh...?' Anon suddenly contemplated this and realized that, even when he hadn't explicitly commanded it, his mana automatically moved to protect his body when the Null area's effects ended.
"Can you sense it?" Ion asked.
Anon nodded slightly.
"Good. Now, try to harness it and make your body comfortable within this room. You'll experience this for the next seven days. The best part? We'll only rest for one hour every 24 hours," Ion announced, smiling at Anon before returning to his reading.
'Oh no... I have no other option. The door is sealed, and I can't open it in this state. I'm in deep trouble. Why did I agree to this?' Anon fretted as his bones cracked and snapped, yet they were promptly repaired by the troll locket.
"Hmmm...?" Ion approached Anon and snatched the troll locket from his neck.
"What...are you...doing?" Anon asked in a faint, angered tone.
"Oh, good, you can speak now. I'll be taking this locket. You won't need it," Ion stated, returning to his table.
Crack
'I'm doomed,' Anon thought as he heard his bones cracking.