Ren's eyes slowly opened, and he found himself back in the fantasy world, lying on the ground near the goblin encampment. The memories of the intense battle, the hobgoblins, and the alter ego lingered in his mind like a surreal dream.
He quickly sat up, taking in his surroundings. Elara and Roland were nowhere to be seen. Ren's hand instinctively went to his chest, expecting to feel the presence of his alter ego.
To his surprise, there was no immediate sign of the alter ego's influence. Ren felt a mix of relief and apprehension, uncertain of whether the arrangement he made with his alter ego had truly taken effect.
"Milord! You're alive!" Elara's voice echoed from a short distance away. She emerged from the shadows, her bow still in hand, and relief washed over her face as she saw Ren conscious.
"Where's Roland?" Ren asked, his concern evident.
"He's injured but alive. I managed to get him to safety," Elara replied, gesturing towards a secluded spot where Roland was resting.
"I see, let's go back to the mansion." Ren says that he wasn't worried about Roland dying because he had his Aura HP Regeneration.
Before returning to camp, he removes the beast core from the hobgoblin's body.
Ren carefully extracts the beast core from the fallen hobgoblin, a pulsating orb that holds the creature's essence and magical energy. He examines it closely, noting its vibrant colors and the power it contains.
"Elara, this beast core is valuable. It could be used for various purposes, including enhancing our magical abilities or crafting powerful artifacts. Make sure to handle it with care," Ren instructs, handing the beast core to Elara.
Elara nods, cradling the beast core delicately in her hands. "Understood, Milord. I'll keep it safe."
As the group makes their way back to the mansion, Ren's thoughts are consumed by the recent events—the intense battle, the emergence of his alter ego, and the mysterious power of the Blood Pact. He knows that he has entered a new chapter of his journey, one where the boundaries between himself and his alter ego are blurred.
Upon reaching the mansion, Roland is attended to by the healers, but his wound already healed so quickly due to Ren's Aura HP Regeneration. The healer's express amazement at the rapid recovery, but he still unconscious, showing signs of fatigue from the battle.
Ren, deep in thought, contemplates the implications of his encounter with the alter ego. He realizes that the power he possesses is a double-edged sword—one that can bring great strength but also carries the risk of losing control.
He went to his bedroom to rest, his body felt so heavy that he wanted to sleep to forget everything that happened today.
As Ren rests in his bedroom, the events of the day weigh heavily on his mind. The encounter with the hobgoblins, the manifestation of his alter ego, and the newfound awareness of the power within him.
Ren stands in this ethereal space, and soon, his alter ego materializes before him, its twisted grin intact.
"Well, well, look who's back," the alter ego sneers, its voice a haunting echo.
Ren, feeling a mixture of helplessness and confusion, addresses his alter ego: "Dude, just let me sleep, I am so tired.
The alter ego chuckles darkly, "Oh, but where's the fun in that? I thought we could have a little chat, you and I."
Ren, growing frustrated, demands answers, "What do you want?"
The alter ego replies coldly, "I want you stop having thought about become a warrior or even mage."
Ren, perplexed by the alter ego's demand, responds with a furrowed brow, "What? Why would I stop pursuing the path of a warrior or mage? It's the very reason I'm in this world."
The alter ego circles Ren, its sinister grin widening, "Because, my dear Ren, there's a more exhilarating path awaiting us—one that transcends the limitations of mere warriors and mages. The power we possess goes beyond the conventional."
"What kind of power is beyond mages and warriors?" Ren asks curiously.
The alter ego faces him and answer it. "Path of Anti Mage "
Ren, still groggy from the battle and the mental strain, raises an eyebrow. "Anti-Mage? What does that even mean?"
The alter ego smirks, "It means we embrace the very essence of magic, but in a way that disrupts and counters it. We become the bane of mages, a force that opposes the conventional use of magic. It's a path that allows us to control and manipulate the magical energies around us, turning them against our enemies."
Ren, intrigued by the idea, considers the possibilities. "So, instead of being a typical warrior or mage, we become a counterforce to magic itself?"
The alter ego nods, its eyes gleaming with a twisted excitement. "Exactly. We'll wield the power to nullify spells, absorb magical attacks, and unleash our own unique form of anti-magic. It's a path of disruption, chaos, and dominance over those who rely on magic."
Ren, now fully awake and intrigued by the concept, contemplates the potential benefits of embracing this Anti-Mage path. "How do we go about it? What steps do we take?"
"But before that, I want you to promise me something." The alter ego smirks.
Ren replies. "What is it?"
"Kill the child of destiny." The alter ego replies in a high tone.
"What the protagonist." Ren shocks.
The alter ego chuckles menacingly. "Yes, the so-called 'child of destiny.' The one who is prophesied to bring about great change. Eliminate them, and we shall disrupt the will of this world."
Ren hesitates, torn between the desire for power and the moral implications of such a request. "Why? What harm could they possibly do?"
The alter ego's grin widens, "They are a threat to our ascent, a potential obstacle that could stand in the way of our Anti-Mage evolution. Besides, why let destiny dictate our path? We are meant to transcend such limitations."
He also adds. "You know yourself that I was born from your own mana, that means I am part of the will of this world, but you corrupted me with your skill, gave me a consciousness, I want to replace the will of this world with my own will".
'Did I witness the birth of a demon king? I was supposed to die when I clashed with the ferocious hobgoblin, people who use the Blood Pact skill should die after falling into a mana deviation, and my Resurrection skill gave my own mana deviation a consciousness and turned it into a living being.' Ren thought about his own alter ego.
Ren asks. "How do I become an anti-mage?"
The alter ego's grin widens, pleased with Ren's interest. "To become an Anti-Mage, we need to delve deeper into the manipulation of mana and magical energies. It's about understanding the intricacies of spellcasting and turning that understanding into a weapon against our foes."
Ren, now determined, listens attentively. "Teach me how to harness this power. I want to become an Anti-Mage."
The alter ego laughs, its voice echoing in the ethereal space. "Very well, Ren. The first step is to embrace the chaos within. The Blood Pact granted us a glimpse of that chaotic power, and now we harness it for a purpose."
Ren concentrates, recalling the sensation of the Blood Pact's power coursing through him during the battle. The alter ego encourages him to focus on that chaotic energy and allow it to become a part of him.
"As you concentrate, feel the chaotic energy within you. Let it flow through your veins, intertwining with your mana. Embrace the chaos, Ren," the alter ego instructs.
Ren closes his eyes, taking deep breaths, and begins to concentrate. He recalls the feeling of the Blood Pact's power and envisions it merging with his mana. Slowly, he starts to feel a surge of chaotic energy, a raw and untamed force that emanates from within.
"That's it, Ren. Embrace the chaos. Let it become a part of your essence," the alter ego encourages.
As Ren delves deeper into the chaotic energy, he begins to sense a change. The energy responds to his will, intertwining with his mana in a symbiotic dance. The once unruly force starts to align with Ren's intentions, becoming a controlled yet potent source of power.
The alter ego nods in approval. "Good, Ren. You're starting to tap into the chaotic essence. But this is just the beginning. To truly become an Anti-Mage, we need to refine and control this power further."
Ren opens his eyes, a newfound determination in his gaze. "I'm ready. Teach me how to refine and control this chaotic power."
The alter ego smirks, "The next step is to understand the flow of magical energies, we must become attuned to the flow of spells, to feel the very essence of magic. It's about exploiting the weakness in the magical fabric that binds all spells together."
Ren listens intently as the alter ego guides him "You mean I should know the entire magic spell of in this world to become an anti-mage?"