Chapter 202: Summer Vacation [1]

Chapter 201

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Episode 50 - Summer Vacation [1]

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"Ah..."

I lay down on the bed and let out a sigh.

My current condition required a long, peaceful rest.

At that moment, I was still in the same room aboard the airship.

We were on our way back to Orlock City, where we would use the Gates to teleport all the cadets back to the Academy.

The return trip would take nearly a full day, so I planned to spend all of it resting.

Seconds passed, and then they turned into minutes.

Then, at some point, I realized something.

"You haven’t left."

There had been no click of the door closing or anything else to suggest that Lumina had left.

She was definitely still in my room.

Lumina didn’t respond, so I had no choice but to get out of bed, and just then...

Clack!

The door shut, and I stopped. Then, a second later, I went back to bed.

"Ah, damn it... Hey, Master, are you there?"

My sword was right beside me, and the moment I asked, a voice echoed in my mind.

〖I am always here, disciple.〗

I gave a slight nod before asking,

"How much longer until your soul enters the Ancient Spirit’s body?"

〖Perhaps another three months.〗

’That’s a little too long...’

Then again, thinking about it, nothing important would happen within the next three months. It wouldn’t even be Chapter Three yet.

I still wasn’t sure what kind of powers my Master would possess after taking over the Ancient Spirit.

"Ugh, well, I don’t mind waiting three or four months, but five months..."

In five months, I’ll be busy.

〖Be patient, disciple. Besides, you still haven’t told me why you need my help once I take over the Ancient Spirit.〗

There was a reason, but there was no need to talk about it right now.

"I’ll tell you another time."

〖Very well. Oh, and let me remind you that the girl is still in the room.〗

".....?!"

〖I think she’s been listening to you talk to yourself. Hahaha.〗

"...?!"

I raised my head and "looked" forward.

I relied solely on my intuition, since I couldn’t use my senses or the white lines to see.

After a few seconds, I became convinced that someone was really standing there.

So I opened my mouth and said,

"This is called harassment."

Crunch!

Something fell to the floor with a soft thud, as if it were a pillow.

’So she really is here.’

I sighed inwardly. I was exhausted, so I’d let it slide for now.

***

The next day.

After a long journey, we finally returned to the Academy.

A few hours later, the professors gathered everyone in an auditorium to discuss various matters.

Things like keeping up with their training, continuing their studies, and so on.

Since Headmistress Bernice had been summoned by the World Congress a few days earlier, she wasn’t present.

Shortly afterward, everyone returned to their dormitory rooms.

In any case, early the following morning, the cadets would either leave with their families or head somewhere else.

Others would simply remain at the Academy because they had nowhere to return to.

That would have been my case as well if I didn’t have a personal mission to complete.

In any event, I hadn’t gone to the auditorium like everyone else.

I couldn’t appear in my child form at the moment, so after returning to the Academy, I came straight to the dormitories.

’Well, it’s time to claim the Main Mission’s reward.’

With that thought, a series of notifications appeared in my mind.

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■| Chapter No. 2, Part Two: Apostle.

Category: Main Story.

Difficulty: ★★★★★★★

Description: The Apostle Kaiser, who had been frozen at the center of a great mountain, suddenly returns to the world, seeking to go back to the Abyss in order to deliver a report to an unknown entity.

∆ Time Limit: 7 days.

∆ Reward: Philosopher’s Stone.

∆ Failure: The Gates to the Abyss will open.

∆ Status: Completed.

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〖Reward claimed: Philosopher’s Stone.〗

〖Chapter Two, Part Two has been completed. Chapter Three will be revealed in five months.〗

〖You have slightly altered the Dark Destiny.〗

〖Causality +3.09〗

〖A newly absorbed energy has finally awakened.〗

〖A new energy has been inherited from the Astral Spirit Vyrelia.〗

〖Astral Power +1.06〗

〖You can now use Astral Arts.〗

〖One of the two requirements to enter the Astral Plane has been fulfilled.〗

"....?!"

I was left speechless after reading the notifications.

Setting aside the Main Mission reward, I reread the parts about my Dark Fate and Causality several times.

Then something clicked in my mind.

’So this is how I obtain Causality.’

By using Eyes of the End to see the future and change the future in which I ended up dying, I am rewarded with Causality.

But if I don’t end up dying in the future I saw and simply change some of the outcomes, then I won’t receive Causality.

Because the purpose of Causality is tied to my death, not to the specific kind of change I make, such as changing an outcome that caused me to fail at something.

’But that means I could die at any moment... yet I’m supposed to die several years from now, aren’t I...?’

I tilted my head in confusion.

I’ve often wondered why I was destined to die in Black City. That was where I first used Pandemonium to see the future.

And the result was my death, but why exactly?

’I’m not supposed to reach a certain point in the future and die. Before that day comes, nothing should happen that could truly take my life.’

That was common knowledge whenever people spoke of a predetermined fate.

I rubbed my temples as a headache began pounding through my head.

’I suppose I need to find that person if I want to learn more about it.’

At this moment, fewer than five people are aware of this world’s future.

However, among those five, there is one person who knows far more, and in much greater detail.

’I need to find her once I finish my first year at the Academy.’

With that thought, I changed the subject and moved on to the next notification, one I had never expected in any way.

"I inherited the Ice Queen’s Astral Power... when did that happen?"

I mean, when I killed the Ice Queen, I didn’t feel any kind of energy.

But now that I think about it, I believe a notification appeared. Notifications usually pop up whenever I do certain things...

Notifications that simply inform me of insignificant matters, so I didn’t bother checking it.

’So now I have both Astral Power and Mana... Then the energy Vyrelia used while fighting was Astral Power... Mhm, but what exactly are Astral Arts?’

And above all, there was something completely unexpected.

’So entering the Astral Plane required meeting certain conditions, and I’ve already fulfilled the first one.’

In that case, what was the second requirement for entering the Astral Plane?

Honestly, I have the feeling that the Astral Plane draws too much of my attention.

It’s the only place I know almost nothing about, and above all, it holds several mysteries related to the Progenitors.

Especially the Memory Gates.

I let out a sigh as I activated Mana Sense...

"Mhm, I can’t sense anything. Maybe it’s because Mana Sense only allows me to detect Mana and a little of the Power of Chaos..."

Even though the Power of Chaos is a negative energy, because my Mana Sense Mastery is maxed out...

I’m one of the few people capable of sensing negative energies.

While others can only detect the Power of Chaos through their senses or some special trait, that’s enough for them to perceive its presence.

’Astral Power... If I want to learn more about this energy, I can only talk to an Astral Spirit like the Ice Queen or perhaps... Veronica.’

Anyone else would probably think it’s foolish to go talk to her, but I don’t. I’m not sure how much she knows.

But I’m certain she knows enough to answer almost all of my questions.

’Even so, I should test Astral Power later. Maybe I’ll awaken a Trait related to this energy and make it easier to use.’

With that thought, I finally turned my attention to the Main Mission reward.

At that moment, with a single thought, something appeared above my hand.

It was smaller than I had expected.

It was about the size of a billiard ball. Of course, it wasn’t perfectly round.

’I can’t sense any energy... or maybe it’s just me, and this thing really does possess some kind of unique energy. Well then...’

I rarely used this function of the Status Window; it was connected to the Inventory.

With a thought, a system window appeared in my mind.

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Name: Philosopher’s Stone.

Category: Material.

Description: A masterpiece created by ■■■■ to fulfill their dream.

Use: You can use the Philosopher’s Stone to fuse relics, magical items, or weapons of the same Rank, regardless of what they are.

Note: It is recommended to entrust it to a master blacksmith; otherwise, it will be wasted.

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It felt as though my jaw had dropped to the floor.

What I was holding in my hands was impossible.