Azura went to the library right after the class finished.
He didn't expect to find anything inside the university's library about monsters, considering that it's filled with research and educational books, but he did find one tucked in the corner, making his visit to the library not useless.
It was not complete, but from there, he learned more about the popular ones and Ghouls.
Despite not having any pictures, he could easily search it online.
Now he was sitting in the university's park.
Since he is surrounded by monsters, he doesn't want to experience the same thing as last night. He couldn't die and leave Caelum alone in this world, he knew his own brother, and Caelum wouldn't last a month without him.
Choosing the park was not random either.
It was said in the book that the perfect time to use the technique is during the night, and in a place devoid of light—saying that the dark mana would be attracted easier in this place. Due to that, Azura followed the instructions and chose this place.
He sat on the corner bench of the park, shaded by darkness.
Making the first step to use the Resonance of Darkness technique, Azura closed his eyes.
Secondly, he would need to cut himself a little.
In the first phase of learning to use the technique, one would find it extremely hard to sense the dark mana. Steps to help attract dark mana are a must, and aside from the place, blood would also attract dark mana due to its evil inclination.
Unlike popular belief, elemental mana was divided into two inclinations, evil and good.
Dark mana is an evil inclination, which is why blood attracts it.
The Dark Resonance technique delves into the use of blood and flesh.
As it's a technique mainly used by Ghouls, it was unsurprising that the chosen catalysts were blood and flesh. Before Azura tried to do the extreme as the book suggested, he opted more to use his own blood as a catalyst in his initial attempt.
Groaning lightly, Azura tries to scratch open his fingertip with a pencil.
Even though his eyes were closed, he could feel the blood oozing out from the wetness.
With his preparations in place, he began the actual technique.
Based on the book, he would need to visualize inside his mind the darkness surrounding him to approach him in the form of black mist. He would then focus on guiding this black mist to the blood, absorbing it through the open wound.
Normally, this process would take days if not weeks to master.
It would take that long before even a glimpse of the black mist entered the open wound.
However, it took only a couple of minutes for Azura to do that.
I know the book told me to do the preparations first, but I don't understand why the need for them if even before the blood, I could already visualize the black mist approaching me. It felt cool, and I didn't really need to focus to gather them to my fingertip.
Heck, if I want to, I can probably guide the black mist to enter through my nose.
Azura didn't understand why the complex preparations when he could already feel the dark mana the moment he closed his eyes for the first time—surrounding him like a thick lump of goo that could float like clouds.
Not that the blood didn't work, it worked brilliantly, but it worked to his disadvantage.
he was now overwhelmed.
Unlike earlier when the dark mana around him felt cool and swirling around him calmly, now it was gushing like a torrent, all because of his blood. He started to sweat, trying to control the black mist somehow.
But eventually, he couldn't hold it anymore and gave up on the technique.
Overwhelmed, he opened his eyes abruptly.
"What the fuck?!" Azura cursed, seeing now that the blood vessels around the open wound on his fingertips turning charcoal black, and it was spreading to his arm quickly. "I doubted my affinity for dark mana, but this... I never imagined it would manifest like this!"
Aside from that, the cooling sensation now becomes hot, akin to his arm burning from within.
Springing up, Azura quickly made a dash to the park's center.
Driven by panic and devoid of much thought, he thrust his hand into the fountain, desperate for relief from the escalating burn. He didn't know what to do, the burn was real—becoming unbearable by the second.
But turned out the water worked wonderfully.
It lessens the burn as his hand creates a sizzling sound upon contact with the water.
"Aaahhh~" Azura moaned pleasantly, swirling his hand inside the water in solace and relief.
Just as he did that, a notice appeared.
[Your Majesty has used the Resonance of Darkness technique]
Time period: 15 minutes 47 seconds.
Dark Mana Yield: 1,150
Upon seeing the notice, Azura raised his eyebrows as it felt like only a couple of minutes had passed, but in reality, fifteen minutes had passed. Moreover, he found it very convenient for the System, or whatever this magical screen was, to show his yield.
Rubbing his chin, he pondered for a second.
I remember that dark mana points are used for adaptation an-
Before he could even finish his thoughts, he jumped in shock when something touched him.
"Waah!!" Azura shouted and immediately snapped his head back to look.
However, he was greeted by a familiar figure standing directly behind him, "Did I scare you?"
It was Isadora, she was wearing her usual fairy-like smile but considering that it was already nighttime, and the university should be basically empty, her enchanting smile made him gulp harshly out of fear.
"W- What are you doing here, Isadora?" Azura stutters, standing up and tidying his clothes.
He also hides his right hand behind him, fearing that the blackening of his blood vessels from doing the Resonance of Darkness technique still lingers. Out of anything, he didn't want her, out of anyone to know that he might also be a Hybrid.
At this point, Azura doesn't know what she'll do when she knows about that.
Remembering that the monsters last night were attacking each other, there was a very high chance that Isadora would also attack him on sight, and he didn't want that. As opposed to answering, Isadora leaned forward with a suspicious look.
"What am I doing?" Isadora raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing in the park alone, playing with the fountain water? Are you hiding something in the fountain?" She asked, squinting her eyes, looking attentively at Azura's expression.
Under her gaze, Azura averted his eyes elsewhere, "Nothing, it's nothing..."
"Anyway, I need to get going, it'll be bad for someone like me to stay out this late" He added.
Listening to this, Isadora chuckled sweetly. She found Azura quite funny with his very timid personality, "Aren't you supposed to say that to me? I don't know if you notice it yet, but I'm the woman here, you know"
"Ah- right..." Azura smiled wryly. "Nice meeting you, I'll be going ahead first"
In Azura's mind, he needs to get out of here right now.
Being around Isadora stresses him out, knowing that she's a monster, so he wants to swiftly leave. I need to find another place to experiment. The park is okay, but it's public. There's a chance I'll run into her or another student. Wait, it's late already. Is she perhaps, stalking me?
As he was pondering, a chilling thought crossed his mind.
Just as he was about to take a turn to leave the park, his heart thumped hard when Isadora suddenly stopped him from behind, "Say, Azura, I was wondering, did you wear any cologne today?"
Confused, Azura pivoted around and saw Isadora walking towards him.
His heart began to race the closer she got.
Furthermore, the fear that held him captive rendered him immobile—he couldn't even budge when Isadora was right in front of his face. Her womanly scent, a delicate bouquet of floral notes entwined with subtle sweetness, wafted into his nostrils due to how close she was to him.
It made him hard to think, the more he tried the blurrier his mind became.
A skill? Is she using a skill on me?!
Opening his trembling mouth, Azura forced out a reply, "I- I don't wear any cologne..."
Not minding the stiff expression Azura was wearing, Isadora leaned toward him, but this time she got close to his neck, taking a whiff of his scent. She closed her eyes in the process and gently opened them as if she were enjoying Azura's scent a lot.
"Lies, I can smell it... Your scent, I really like it" She mused, making eye contact with Azura.
Her emerald eyes were bright, piercing the darkness of the night.
Upon seeing this, Azura shuddered and pleaded in fear, "P- Please don't eat me..."
Immediately after she heard him say that her eyebrows dipped into a frown as she pointed at him with great surprise, "What do you mean by that?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "Wait... don't tell me that you knew ab-"
Before she could finish her sentence, she sensed two figures approaching.
Two guys came out from the corner, and Azura recognized them almost instantly.
Both of these guys were the ones who stood behind Matthew earlier.
Now what? Should I make a run for it? I probably should, when the time is right, I'll run.
Azura didn't know what these two guys were doing coming to the park this late, but judging from their eyes alone, he could already tell that they were up to no good. Anyone that could associate themselves with Matthew is probably an asshole too.
Well, at least in his opinion that is.
"Hey, Orphan, we've been searching for you. Come with us, Matthew wanted to meet you"
One of the guys said, deepening the frown on Azura's face.
Intervening, Isadora who also recognized both of them raised an eyebrow, shielding Azura behind her, "He's currently with me, I have a matter that I need to discuss with him. Could you please give us some privacy?"
"No... No can do. Orphan, quick, or we'll be using force" One of the guys said again.
However, this made Isadora grimaced.
Just as she did that, the two guys suddenly stepped forward and a dark green hue could be seen glowing on their chest and shoulder respectively. A sight that shocked Isadora as the two had their eyes also glowing dark green, an activation of their power.
Upon seeing this, Azura's expression was washed away from all colors.
Shit... I think they know.