Ch 77
"Hello, Lionel!" Jin said as he looked at the father and son, munching on a red apple to pass the time while greeting them. In his other hand, he held a heart-shaped pendant, still attached to Kathryn's neck even after twenty-four years.
"Even after she fell into a coma, you still decide to continue the marriage. Truly pathetic." Jin recalled some unpleasant memories as he spoke.
"What do you even know?!" In a wave of anger, Lionel didn't try to understand or think about the situation.
All he wanted was to execute this intruder in the room and hang his head on the walls for Kathryn to see when she woke up. The aura in the room intensified as Lionel stepped toward Jin, but he suppressed it from reaching Kathryn clearly.
The walls of the room cracked, and superficial wounds formed on Jin's face, causing his expression to change slightly. When a warrior displays their aura, it's not just for show.
The aura itself is a different type of combat, crushing the opponent's will before the fight even begins, perhaps even knocking them out. Currently, Jin felt immense pressure, but he wasn't too afraid.
His opponent was a full rank higher, specifically at the peak of S+, but Jin still stood his ground with a smile. He knew his combat abilities well; Lionel wouldn't be able to touch him unless he used his beast form to create a real fight.
But despite everything, Jin remained internally alert. Lucas was still present, and his skill couldn't be underestimated.
If Jin recklessly used a large amount of mana, Lucas would employ his energy-devouring skill - {Vitalos}. The situation wouldn't end well if that happened.
"This..." Jin tossed the apple aside as he noticed Lionel's body structure changing. "All members of this family are truly monsters." He couldn't help but remember Octavius's beast form.
Lionel three heads nearly pierced the ceiling, his green tail lashed the walls behind him wildly, and his legs, which expanded significantly in size, looked like sturdy trees.
Even ten war machines wouldn't be able to move this person from his spot. Looking at the green scales that grew on his skin, Jin's options for injuring this person dwindled.
"I thought I had become extremely strong..." Jin couldn't help but feel some danger looking at Lionel.
Despite being a prodigy and elite figure, he was now facing one of the strongest humans. A person over forty years old, who had fought against much stronger people. The time Lionel spent training alone was longer than Jin's age.
Lionel StarHold's beast form - Zmei Gorynich, a legendary creature.
The fire he breathed from his three heads could melt the strongest metals just by surrounding them, and he had near-infinite regeneration abilities.
If Jin fought Lionel now, the outcome wouldn't be easily predictable. But with Lucas also present, fighting didn't seem like a wise option.
Jin quickly glanced at Lucas's new form.
Soft white fur grew all over him, and his body became slightly smaller. At a height of 160 cm, Lucas hunched his back, ready to pounce at any moment.
His ears and hair turned white, and vertical slits appeared in his eyes. All his physical aspects evolved, and his five senses became multiple times better.
Additionally, with those claws, none of Jin's swords would withstand an attack.
"This will be exhausting."
(Jin's POV)
'Direct combat isn't a wise choice at all...' I thought as I dodged the green tail threatening to pin me against the wall.
I didn't let go of the {Necklace of the starry heart}, nor could I afford to, so I couldn't move far from Kathryn.
"Think a little, you damned fool!" I shouted, trying to avoid this pointless fight.
"How could you not move past her even after 24 years? It's obvious she did something to your mind!" If his mind were working, he might stop for a moment.
But he probably misunderstood my words, as if I were mocking him.
"What's your goal in coming here? Is it related to the prince?" Lucas appeared in front of me out of nowhere.
'Very fast.' That was my only comment on what I saw.
He was nearly as fast as me, but I was still slightly superior.
"Indeed, this beast skill is fascinating; you can easily overcome those of higher rank." I spoke as I redirected Lucas's punch with my hand.
Of course, I wouldn't give him the chance to hit me; he's slower, but I know nothing about his physical strength.
Also, if I got distracted for even a second, the Zmei Gorynich would put a few holes in my body. He wasn't extremely fast, and he tried not to move much to avoid collapsing the room and hurting his beloved.
Good thing I followed Cassian's advice and didn't face him outside; things would have been much harder.
"In any case, I'm done here." I laughed a little, ready to destroy the illusion this person had been under for 24 years myself. It felt good, like I was a do-gooder for the first time in my life.
{Stop}. My voice echoed in the room immediately, forcing the father and son to stop in their tracks.
"The Zmei Gorynich, a heart with nearly infinite mana and the strongest fire in the world after dragons. Skin tougher than metals, regeneration against everything but fire attacks, truly a legendary creature." I spoke slowly, looking at Lionel and Lucas, unable to move in front of me.
The effect wouldn't last long, as I lost 80% of my mana, but I had more time than I needed anyway.
"And on the other side, Sith, a legendary cat-like beast with the ability to consume souls, though it seems that changed to consuming mana for you." I paused before continuing, "As far as I know, the Sith cat has black fur, but yours is white. What caused this change?" I approached Lucas slightly, the Pendant still in my hand, the other end attached to Kathryn's neck.
I wasn't speaking without purpose, of course; I've been working on this pendant for about an hour.
'Legendary items are really hard to play with...' I couldn't help but feel a headache.
I studied its basis for a week and a half, and Cassian had informed me of the precise process I needed to follow, but it still resisted a lot.
Using {Transformation} for an entire hour had a negative impact on my mind, but I was finally close to succeeding.
"Lionel, you fell under a love curse controlled by this pendant." I began to explain things more clearly.
"Kathryn enchanted you, aiming for Max-" Before I could finish, Lionel managed to move his mouth.
He still couldn't move entirely.
"Shut up!"
Oh, it seems breaking the curse is affecting his mind a bit; I need to be more careful. I slowed the pace of the curse modification and began narrating the original story to Lionel and Lucas.
=+=
"Are you saying Lionel didn't break through to SS- rank because of that curse?" Kilian asked me.
"Yes, he's no less talented than Octavius, but that curse altered his mind, and the mentally impaired can't break through." I explained.
"Intelligent creatures are generally very different from unintelligent beasts. If we were given too much power, the whole world could be destroyed by the whim of one person. The Demon King is an example of that.
So the SS- rank is where the mental barrier lies, the one that worries me the most right now. One must make a binding contract with 'something' using mana, a contract that cannot be broken."
When I began to speak about secrets known only to the highest-ranking humans, even Alfred started to focus seriously on my words. Generally, it's strictly forbidden to share this information with people; even those who break through to SS- rank can't explain it directly.
But I'm not even close to that rank, so no restrictions are placed on me, and mana can't affect me in any way. Skills are different because they're not just mana, but restrictions and curses are different.
For example, using the {Necklace of the Starry Heart} on me would be impossible because the mana would be rejected the moment it enters my body.
That's because the pendant doesn't use a skill to control the mind but a complex love curse. Curses are very different from skills in terms of endurance, complexity, and the ability to detect them.
Generally, curses are stronger and more terrifying for warriors, but it's different for me.
The curses that can affect me are only those based on non-mana things, with only one exception.
{Mana Curse.}
Without mana I can use, I'll be a joke if I try to enter the elite world. Just looking at my battle with Eldrick is enough to show how things are.
If Darian, at rank C+ now, with a good mastery of mana, faced me, he would easily toy with me.
Mana isn't just energy to power skills; although humans can't directly strengthen their bodies with it like the goblins, they can use it more effectively.
The mana domain that Daristan used (even though it was rudimentary) is a prime example.
Enhancing reaction speed, peripheral vision, automatic movement, and at a low cost.
There are other techniques too, like barriers, pressure, armament...
And it has even more important uses after the SS- rank.
Finally, the greatest technique, the one possessed by all intelligent and unintelligent creatures.
Binding contracts come in two types:
1-
Spiritual: like the one I signed with Loana before going to Misty Mountain.
When breaking this contract, the person dies immediately in a painful way, even the toughest and strongest people scream upon exposure.
The pain of the concentrated sacred fruits? Nothing.
Generally, spiritual binding contracts can only be broken by super-intelligent methods, often at a price.
For example, Jin.
What did Jin pay to break the contract he signed with Loana? Only one.
One contract broke when he sold his freedom to me. He sold his freedom to break the chains of that contract.
Perhaps his integration with that person also played a role. Maybe.
Mana Contract: which forces those who want to break through to SS- rank to sign it.
Internal Contract: something I haven't seen since arriving in this world, but it exists. It's a contract a person makes with themselves; unfortunately, not everyone can do it, unlike the external contract. For this contract, a person must have an intelligence statistic at the A- level or higher.
It requires mana to sign internal binding contracts, and its effect is very simple. You lose something in exchange for something else of equal value.
Example:
1- Never touch swords again in exchange for a certain skill or power boost.
For this example, the result isn't the same for everyone.
A spear user can't make that contract and expect a real benefit.
If the sword is truly important to the person making the contract, they will gain a benefit equal to the importance they lost.
Although it seems like a loss, it isn't.
If I had mana, I would do one thing:
1- Exchange the ability of ether for a beast form above Darian's level.
I don't know what ether is; I know it's very important. But to use it fairly, I would have to lock myself in a lab for a few years.
Do I look capable of doing that?
In nine and a half years, the Demon King will descend, and to reach SS- rank before then, there are dozens of things to do. Nine and a half years may seem like a long time, but compared to what I want to do, it's nothing.
-
"You! You!" I snapped out of my thoughts due to Killian's persistent calling.
"Why did you space out like that? You can't just stop suddenly!" He seemed a bit angry.
I laughed a little, just when I was about to share highly confidential information with them, I suddenly stopped.
"Forget it, you'll have to figure it out yourself." I mocked him, trying to change the subject again.
"As for what we should do now..."