Theron reflected on the recent fight with Jareth, considering the improvements in his opponent's cultivation and body refining.
[Name: Jareth Hawthorne
Cultivation: Copper Attainment- Rank 1(Initial Rank)→Rank 3
Body Refining: Copper Attainment- Rank 7 → Rank 8]
Jareth had advanced in both cultivation and body refining since their last encounter. Theron pondered why Jareth prioritized cultivation separately. Speculating that Jareth might want to learn some spells to make his combat arsenal larger while still focusing on his body refining.
But, Theron had also progressed significantly.
[Name: Theron Silvercrest
Cultivation: Copper Attainment- Rank 2→Rank 5
Body Refining: Copper Attainment- Rank 6→Rank 8
Mana Core Talent: White
Martial Bone Talent: Gold
Element: Hellfire]
Adjusting his ranks for each confrontation in the VR matches, he realized his power surpassed expectations, leading him to question whether his martial bone was different from others. Theron had deliberately fought Jareth at Rank 6, his previous peak, to assess his strength and still came out as the victor.
In the weeks leading up to the exams, Theron dedicated some time to alchemy and blacksmithing as well.
Both professions shared a ranking system from 0 to 10. Theron had also bought three new alchemy recipes from the shop in the system using around 3000 points. His initial blacksmithing craft placed him at Rank 1. After his first craft, Theron was a Rank 1 blacksmith same as with alchemy. He had also crafted other types iron weaponry.
But due to him trying to get stronger as to get to be able to compete and making sure he would be able to get the rank which he needed to keep staying in S rank, he wasn't able to do too much progress on them.
After the fight, Theron decided not to engage in any more battles, but there was a few challengers who attempted to challenge him for his rank during the rest of the week but Theron was able to maintain his rank. The combat exams eventually concluded as the week of the holiday started.
'Time to visit.'
'Let's pack for a travel.'
__ __ __
(At a cemetery)
At the entrance of the cemetery stood a figure in a black suit – Theron. He held a bouquet of flowers and walked inward, heading toward a specific tombstone beneath a comforting shade below a singular tree. The letters on the tombstone read Vivienne Silvercrest. Her surname had changed upon entering the Silvercrest family, but her sweet nature and talents made her loved by everyone as well as the elders.
Theron smiled as he placed the flower bouquet on her tombstone, speaking to her about the events of his life.
"Mom, your son has grown up. You don't need to worry about me anymore. I've made new friends and even found a master…"
An hour passed in the cool shade, with occasional refreshing gusts of wind. Theron was interrupted by a soft voice.
"Excuse me, young master Theron."
His guard went up as he turned to see a person in unobtrusive attire, someone he hadn't noticed arriving earlier.
"Who are you?" Theron squinted his eyes.
"I'm sorry for my intrusion, young master. You will not recognize me, but I was your mother's servant even before she married into the Silvercrest family. My name is Malina."
Theron had heard that his mother had a servant who disappeared after her death. He used his insight skill on Malina, who allowed the probing, thinking it was merely an assessment of her strength. Afterward, Theron asked, "It's nice to meet you, Malina. What are you doing here?"
"I am here because I have to tell you something, young master. It is really important and might shatter your world view. But, it is the truth, and the truth sometimes hurts."
"It is related to your mother"
Theron remained composed, "What about my mother?"
Theron finally showed a change in his face as he heard something about his mother. The wind blew, and the environment became a little chilly.
"She is … alive."
Theron opened his eyes wide as he heard this revelation.
"You are lying."
"I am not, young master."
"Based on what are you saying that my mother is alive?"
"I am sure young master would be thinking I am lying, but I would ask you to trust me for just a while before you see what I am going to show you."
"If you would follow me, young master Theron."
Theron hesitated at first but thought back to the dream he had before – the scene where his mother was lying in an unknown chamber. As he recalled that dream, he decided to follow this person whom he didn't fully trust yet. As he followed the person, he kept his guard up. After about half an hour of walking,
"We can stop here," she said, halting before a marsh near a forest.
"Because of secrecy, can you close your eyes, young master Theron?"
Theron closed his eyes, not trusting her completely, but left a small opening to see what was happening. However, all he saw was light as the scene changed. As he reopened his eyes, they were inside a cave. Theron looked back to see that there was no way out. The cave seemed man-made as Theron followed the woman inside, passing through multiple rooms until they arrived at a particular one.
Theron saw his mother, the figure looking exactly as it did in his dreams.
As he moved closer to her, a forcefield stopped him from getting any closer.
"Why can't I get near her?"
"I can't either, young master."
"It is stemming from something, possibly an item her father made to protect her."
Theron sighed as he looked at Malina.
"She has only a week left to live."
The woman said in her black robe which hid her upper face.
"What!"
Theron shouted as he was surprised.
"How did this happen to her?"
"She was poisoned a few months before you were born."
The woman said in a calm voice as before.
"As her servant, why weren't you able to protect her?"
"I didn't know either how it happened, young master. When I saw her, she was already like this."
"How is she here, and how were you able to get her here?"
"Everyone saw her getting buried."
Malina sighed as she continued.
"I took my mistress away before something else happened to her and it seemed that a puppet was buried instead"
"Who did this to her?"
"Sigh, I don't want to say it, but the only possible person is your stepmother."
As Theron showed anger, Malina started to say.
"Instead of feeling angry, the first step should be saving your mother."
"How do we save her?" Theron asked.
"Do you know about alchemy?", the woman asked
"I have heard of it, yes."
"I know a recipe which might be able to save her."
"I only need a few ingredients."
"What do you need?"
"These."
She said as she gave the ingredients.
"I have the rest of the ingredients, so you don't have to worry."
"Can I take a look at the alchemy recipe?"
Theron said, which made Malina look at him but seemed to nod as he gave the recipe to him
"It's written in our mother tongue, so you won't be able to recognize it."