Cliff was sitting opposite Rakahn. He had moved Dahlia to the bed earlier; she still hadn't woken up. Perhaps she was exhausted from the battle and had taken the chance to rest deeply. Despite Rakahn's initial reluctance to have Dahlia on his bed, Cliff had managed to convince him.
Now, gripping the essence stone tightly in his hand, Cliff focused on the difficult task ahead. He attempted to mimic Rakahn's method—intertwining his own mana with the essence within the stone, then guiding it towards his "mana heart." The process was far from easy. Once again, Cliff was reminded of how invaluable his [Drainer] ability was.
In fact, it might be even more powerful than he'd thought. They still didn't fully understand the limits of his ability. Could he perhaps absorb essence stones from creatures he hadn't killed himself? They hadn't had the opportunity to test it yet.
"I'll try it later," he muttered to himself, refocusing his attention on the task at hand. The process was slow and demanding, but Cliff was patient. If he tried to rush the absorption, he could lose everything. So, he pressed on, carefully extracting every drop of essence.
As the last bit of essence was drawn in, Cliff opened his eyes, frowning slightly. There was no announcement. Had he failed?
Just then, a sudden chill coursed through his entire body. Something began to stir within his "mana heart," a heat slowly building, growing hotter by the second.
Cliff gritted his teeth against the itching sensation.
"Damn! That hurts."
Though he had a high tolerance for pain, this was beyond anything he'd experienced.
At that moment, the familiar murmurs of the announcement reached his mind:
[You have absorbed a mutant essence stone.]
[Your body is changing...]
Cliff exhaled forcefully, as if trying to release the heat building up in his chest. But it didn't work. If anything, the heat intensified.
He was on the verge of screaming, but he clenched his jaw, determined to endure it.
[Your body has changed.]
[Your physical abilities have increased.]
[Your "Echolocation" skill has evolved into "Symphony."]
Suddenly, the pain subsided. Cliff relaxed, his body easing up. He glanced at Rakahn, who was still watching him, his expression dark with concern. Cliff offered him a small smile, signaling that he was alright.
But the whispers of the announcement weren't done yet.
[You have awakened a weak affinity to fire.]
[You have gained the "Heat Resistance" ability.]
And with that, the voice went silent. Cliff stood up, stretching his limbs. He felt different—stronger, but also oddly balanced. Light, yet grounded.
He looked back at Rakahn. The young warrior was staring at him expectantly, his expression almost like that of a loyal dog awaiting praise.
"He and Akumu are so alike," Cliff thought to himself. "Birds of a feather, as they say."
"Did you say something, my lord?" Rakahn asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I've noticed that while my physical strength has improved drastically, I'm still lacking in many areas," Cliff said. "I don't have enough combat experience, and my techniques are... well, they're pretty basic."
He paused, considering his next words. "I need to train my senses, sharpen my reflexes, and improve my understanding of mana."
Throughout his encounters with various creatures, Cliff had become painfully aware of his shortcomings. Though he could sense them coming and even smell their approach, his reactions were always just a little too slow. He had narrowly escaped death more than once.
Rakahn scratched his chin, then his eyes lit up as if he'd had an idea. He clapped his hands together.
"Why don't you ask Cain and Akumu to train you? Knowing them, they'll probably ask for something in return, but they'd be perfect for it."
"That's a great idea," Cliff agreed, nodding. "I just need to convince them."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you—I've awakened a weak fire affinity."
"Really? That's fantastic!" Rakahn said, his excitement palpable. "That's even more reason to ask Cain to teach you magic."
Cliff nodded again, deep in thought, idly turning the essence stone in his hand. He had some plans forming in his mind, but to see them through, he'd need the help of both clan leaders.
With a sigh, he glanced at Dahlia, still fast asleep.
"I can't wait for her to wake up," he muttered. "I really need her by my side right now."