It was one surprise after another.
First, he encountered a Saint in the middle of nowhere, then got into a damn cursing contest against the said Saint, and lastly, he learned that knowledge is really power.
"Am I having a fucking fever dream? This doesn't make sense!" Ashy cursed for the umpteenth time in a single day.
"What doesn't make sense?" curious, Helen chimed in.
"All of it! I can understand that knowledge is important and all, or else I would live like a fucking caveman and wipe my ass to a rock, but how the heck information is power itself?"
Even after knowing that knowledge can kill or change people, — like how Ludwig went mad and didn't die when his neck severed…
"Actually, it makes sense…" Ashy whispered to himself. "If it can make someone virtually immortal, then it is very much possible."
"Ahem!" Helen coughed.
"Ah, yes." Ashy lifted his head and asked. "Can you explain the 'power' part? What exactly do you mean by information being power?"
"Well, to explain that, I need to tell the origin of Darkness. Which I can gladly tell but you would need to wave goodbye to your life."
Ashy froze before shaking his head. He still wanted to live. "Then tell me the things that won't threaten my life."
"You ask too much…"
"..."
"Sigh… well, I don't have much to do anyway. You are lucky, brat. Let's say when you absorb the essence from the hearts, you increase the quantity of your essence while the information you have in your pockets determines the quality of the essence."
"Then why do I feel stronger whenever I absorb essence?" Ashy inquired.
"Because your body lacks essence. The new essence fills the parts of your body that lack essence, which is why you are getting stronger. But when your body is full of essence, you won't get stronger via increasing the quantity but increasing the quality."
Ashy thought for a moment in silence before asking. "Then how can I rank up?"
"That is easy," Helen said lazily. "Increase the quantity and quality of your essence, experience some life and death situations, and attain some realization."
"Fuck…" Ashy cursed.
"No worries," Helen assured. "The quality of your essence is high enough to reach Seeker class, you merely need quantity. It is usually the opposite for many."
"Oh, nice."
"Yeah," Helen acknowledged. "Most outsiders know some unknown and forbidden knowledge even before coming here."
"Eh? There are people like me?" both shocked and hopeful, Ashy asked.
"Well, duh. You are unique but not that much. Your hybrid constitution is more unique than your outsider status."
"..."
"..."
"...give me a minute to think." Ashy raised his hands before sinking into deep thought.
It was kind of relieving to hear that he could reach Seeker class if he were to obtain the required quantity. And it was more relieving that there were 'outsiders' like him in this world.
Maybe, he was not alone in this harsh world.
However, a question was stuck in his mind.
What kind of information was considered unknown or forbidden? Was the modern knowledge of science and chemistry the thing that increased his essence quality? Was learning the reason for this dangerous?
Fortunately, when he asked this Helen answered. It seemed that it wasn't dangerous knowledge like he first thought.
"We call it Awareness. It is about learning and sensing things that defy the law of nature. Information doesn't need to be written, brat. If you see, hear, or feel anything that defies the law of nature, that will increase your Awareness and which will directly increase your essence quality. Being aware of just a little bit of the truth of the world is enough to become a Seeker." Helen explained.
Ashy nodded in thought before lying on the ground. Strangely, the pain in his spine lessened a lot enough to not cause much discomfort.
'This is going better than I expected.'
Ashy was pretty reluctant to leave this area. He could always kill some undead but getting precious information from a 'sealed' powerhouse for free wasn't an everyday occurrence.
'I need to fish out information as much as possible.'
Plus, although Ashy didn't fully trust Helen, he wasn't so doubtful either.
'She noticed me being an outsider and a part Creature of Darkness without even lifting her head.'
So, when all of it was put together, there was no reason to benefit from this encounter. After all, if Ashy's guess was right—
'Like she has implied before, she could just spout some deadly information to kill me. There is no need for her to use her powers.'
However, Helen didn't kill him. She just literally bantered with him.
'This means she wants something from me. Maybe what she said about wanting some company is true, or maybe she wants something entirely different.'
Regardless of which option was the truth, Ashy knew staying here would be the best for him.
"Oh, well, enough information. Wanna tell me about yourself?"
"Oh, do you now desire to know about this old lady?"
"Ew, shut up!"
…
Time passed as Ashy and Helen exchanged stories and talked about everyday things.
Solely requesting information wouldn't provide company to this bored woman, so, this was essential. Both for himself and for Helen. It felt like it was a long time since he spoke to someone freely without restraint.
Ashy felt free.
But this didn't last long, just a couple of days.
"Is that why you explain so well? Because of your all-brawn, no-brain teammate?"
"Am I?" Helen asked.
"Yeah."
"Maybe because of him. He would always try to crush both people and darkness creatures with a greatsword without any plans. It was fun times… oh time is up?"
"What happened?" Ashy asked, noticing that Helen's voice changed into a disappointed one
"What? Did you think that I am always awake in this boring place?" Helen teased, and the volume of her voice was gradually decreasing.
"Kind of."
"Hahahhaha! That is so cute of you."
"Shut up!"
"Hahahha!" Helen laughed once again, her laughter slowly turning into an ethereal melody.
"Well, it was nice to know you." Ashy's eyes took a crescent shape as they shone.
"Same," Helen replied. "That is why I will give you a reward."
"Okay."
"I said reward but it is more of a couple of requests than reward. But if you listen to them, you will survive."
Ashy straightened his back after hearing Helen's serious tone.
"ALWAYs obey your heart but DO NOT entrust your life to anyone," Helen said, her voice was nothing more than a whisper now.
"Okay, I wasn't going to do that anyway. I am not an idiot." Ashy spoke his mind.
"Second, when you completely leave Wall City, head to the City of Hope. Keep the same look, but switch your eyes to blue—"
"And?"
"It will be harsh but you will at least survi—
Helen's voice faded completely.
"Helen?" Ashy called out, but no answer came back.
"Damn…"
Ashy was alone, again.
****
"Awareness has also levels, dear brat. First, you become a Listener, then a Watcher, then a Realizer, then a Reviewer, and lastly a Believer. If you are halfway into becoming a Listener, then you are one step closer to becoming a Seeker."