"Uh yeah sorry about that, i was training with an elf named Ainis" Salef rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
Grafis raied an eyebrow. "Oh? Ainis that elf that runs the apothecary, you didn't know her?"
"Well yeah i never really go to an apothecary, what am i gonna do with flowers?" He asked incredulously.
Grafis chuckled. "Well she is actually 115 years and in human years she is actually my age so technically we might meet at the infinite Arena"
"oh well i got Hectore to think about joini us to the Infinite Arena" Salef sat in front of her.
She had a thoughtful look on her face. "Aren't you both 18 though and lack any fighting experience"
"Sis, it doesn't matter i already promised to support you throughout the way" He nodded with a prideful tone.
What is the infinite Arena, it is simply a dimension filled with different infinite smaller worlds where some are discovered and some are not, It was said that the rulers of the world commited a great act of blasphemy to create the Arena, They used the body of a gods child, they used crystallized blood from a phoenix and burning all of its flames and then the heartd of 4 colored Ancient dragons and fused them together with ancient, forbidden magic. The result was a living, ever-shifting dimension that exists outside of normal time and space. The Infinite Arena became a place where warriors, mages, and even creators like Hectore could test their mettle, claim glory, and unearth power unimaginable. And the orice for such blasphemy was ofcourse curse each ruler of the world with the most painful of curses, Eternal Damnation or simply just immortality.
The influence of the Infinite Arena spread throughout the entirety of the world and all energies disappeared and only one appeared,
Enma, a volatile and all-encompassing energy, became the foundation of every skill and ability known to the world. It was said to flow through all living things, connecting them to the Arena itself. This new energy changed the fabric of society. Entire civilizations adapted to this shift, reshaping their way of life around mastering Enma and harnessing its power.
Skills, once thought of as rare and divine, became commonplace—but only the strong could refine their Enma into what became known as Enma Techniques. These techniques were the pinnacle of power, limited only by a person's creativity, willpower, and mastery of their own abilities.
The Infinite Arena, acting as both battleground and proving ground, drew warriors, scholars, and adventurers alike. Some sought glory, others sought power, and many sought the ultimate Prize, Ascendancy.
But Ainis didn't want any of that, the only think she desired was the sapling of a world tree, she dreamily looked at the picture depicting that exact tree, her long ears twitched and her hair was spread on top of the bed looking at the picture on the cieling.
"World tree oh world Tree,the tales of your sapling are as ancient as the stars," Ainis murmured softly, her silver eyes glowing faintly in the dim light of her room. Her fingers traced the edge of the image, the intricate carvings depicting the colossal tree whose roots were said to span entire worlds.
The World Tree Sapling, a prize as elusive as it was legendary. It wasn't power or glory that drew Ainis to the Infinite Arena—it was the promise of a chance, however slim, to obtain the sapling. The sapling held the essence of life itself, capable of healing any wound, restoring barren lands, and even granting immortality to mortals. For Ainis, it was not just a dream but an obsession.
She sighed, her gaze softening as memories of her past surfaced. Her village, once vibrant and full of life, was now a shadow of its former self. The land had withered, its lifeblood drained by generations of conflict and misuse. The sapling could restore it—restore her people's hope.
But to even glimpse the sapling, Ainis would have to face trials unimaginable, and perhaps even sacrifice everything. "Ugh, i sometimes wish Elves age fast, i am considered fifteen in human years now and i am one hundred and fifteen, and now i am apart of the 500th generation, looks like i have to go to the Infinite Arena now"
Ainis skill was an Active skill called "Silver Blossoming"
As it says it allows her to make silver Blossom out of organic and non organic materials like a flowere blooming from a seedling, Her enma technique which was experienced by Salef already was the Silver wheel which had two forms, The wheel form and then the disk form. She was also holding back a lot to test Salef's strength and she was very disappointed.
But seeing he has a passive and Active skill she actually found it interesting to teach him about enma and a bit if combat, ofcourse it was because she owed Hectore.
She sighed and then got down from her bed, she then turned to a target in front of her and then raised her hands, Slowly silver liquid was flowing and was slowly turning into a bow
that gleamed like polished moonlight. The bow was elegant and ethereal, its surface covered in intricate floral patterns. The silver blossoms seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive with Enma.
Ainis pulled an invisible string, and an arrow formed from the same silver liquid, glowing faintly. She aimed it at the wooden target a few meters away, her expression calm and focused. With a soft twang, the arrow shot forward, exploding into a burst of blossoms upon impact. Each petal embedded itself into the target, creating a stunning yet deadly display.
"Still too slow," Ainis muttered, frowning slightly. "If I were in the Infinite Arena, that delay would cost me my life." She lowered the bow, watching as it melted back into liquid and reabsorbed into her hand.
As she walked to retrieve her target, she couldn't help but think about Salef. That boy barely knows how to harness Enma, and yet… he has potential. His energy wasn't refined, and his techniques were raw, but there was a certain fire in his determination that intrigued her.
She sighed. "I guess I'll train him, for Hectore's sake. But if he doesn't improve soon…" Her voice trailed off as she glanced back at the picture of the World Tree on her ceiling. "There's no room for weakness in the Arena."
Back with Salef and Grafis, the two were currently both in their room, Salef was sleeping innocently and loudly on the top bunk.
While Grafis was still awake, She was touching the necklace with the strange markings on it. "I wonder if he will give up, it would be easier if he didn't follow me"
Even though she said that, there was still a smile on her face. "Stupid Salef"
…..
*ROAR*
A ferocious beast in red roared from the skys, with its emergence came a terrifying descent of flames and stone, its figure so large that its mere presence overshadowed entire kindgdoms.
It was a red Dragon but the dragon was far different from a normal one, it had jagged blades jutting out from its scales, glowing faintly with molten Enma that pulsed like the heartbeat of a volcano. Its wings were torn and frayed, yet they radiated an aura of pure destruction, each flap stirring up hurricanes of ash and embers. The dragon's eyes burned with an unnatural light, swirling with chaotic energy that seemed to pierce through the very souls of those who gazed upon it.
And then from the seas emerged a scaly blue hand, then another and another and another, one by one countless arms were rising from the depths, each massive enough to crush entire fleets with a single motion. The sea churned violently as a monstrous form began to surface.
It was Dragon that was born off a leviathan, its greed knows no bound and it would have devoured everything it touched and made it its own.
But indeed these creatures do not exist, they are the true forms of the skills, Savage Dragons Shell and Greedy Dragons Claws.
And then the owner of these skills woke up. Salef rubbed his eyes groggily at the strange dream he had, it was a figment of his imagination where his skills acknowledged the names he gave them. "Strange, well time to get to work"
He got off his bed and then went to cool before his sister woke up.
After he was done cooking, he ate his own fill and kept the rest for Grafis after she woke up.
Now some may wonder what kind of job Salef does, Well he just helps maintaining a small bakery.
When he went outside he immediately went towards the bakery. "Hahah, i have come, have you missed me"
"Id rather miss the flies that gather around the garbage" As he immediately entered, a purple haired girl with two normal eyes and a third eye on her head said with annoyance.
Salef stayed frozen like a stone sculpture. "Ein, what have i done to make you feel anger"
"You didn't come yesterday" She said still looking at him with annoyance.
Salef let out a dry cough. "Uhh…well i was training for the infini-."
"Wait, You're going to the infinite Arena, also Ainis is training you" Salef was currently having a huge headache. Eins third eye was fully open and was glancing at him ominously.
Salef winced as Ein's third eye glared at him, sensing something amiss. "Yeah… about that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Ainis thinks I've got potential, so she's decided to train me. Guess she sees something in me."
Ein's eyes narrowed. "Potential? For what exactly? You can barely make a decent loaf of bread without burning it, Salef."
"Hey i try and also stop trying to read my mind when you know i am clearly trying to resist?!!" Salef really didn't like Ein's unintentional mind reading, he knows she can't control due to her race being a Psychic, she has an Active skill too but her third eye and her telekinetic abilities are a part of her race.
She gave him a mocking smile and then flicked his forehead. "Then don't directly look at my third eye, i am very sensitive"
Salef groaned, rubbing his forehead where Ein flicked him. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Ein shrugged, her third eye briefly glowing before dimming. "And yet, you keep coming back. Now, about this training with Ainis—she doesn't take on students lightly. If she's teaching you, she must owe Hectore something big, or she sees something in you that no one else does. Either way, you'd better not waste her time."
Salef sighed, picking up a broom to start sweeping the bakery. "Yeah, yeah. I'm taking it seriously, okay? Ainis isn't exactly… forgiving when I mess up." He paused, recalling the intensity of her training. "Honestly, I think she might just enjoy watching me suffer."
Ein smirked. "She's not wrong. Watching you trip over yourself is pretty entertaining."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence." Salef leaned the broom against the counter and turned to her. "What about you, though? You ever think about heading to the Infinite Arena? With your abilities, you'd probably crush it."
Ein's expression turned serious for a moment, her third eye glowing faintly. "The Arena isn't just some playground for wannabe heroes, Salef. People die there. They vanish, sometimes without a trace. And for what? A chance at some grand prize? I've got better things to do with my time."
Salef frowned, taken aback by her tone. "You really hate the place, huh?"
"It's not hate," Ein said, her voice softening. "It's caution. The Arena has its own rules, its own will. It's alive, in a way. And it doesn't care about anyone who steps inside. But if you're going, I guess I can't stop you." She crossed her arms and smirked again. "Just don't die, okay? I'd hate to have to find a new assistant."
Salef chuckled, though there was a nervous edge to it. "I'll keep that in mind."