CHAPTER 54

"Give him the Aura Stones," Savio instructed FORT685 before settling into a chair a few meters away from the bed.

'I don't know where that person found this idea, but it's better than doing nothing,' Savio pondered when he recalled Aurelius' order. He was told to give the child Aura Stones, which the benefactor dispatched in large boxes filled with Class-E Water and Blood Stones, all for Hirayon to drain.

Although it seemed ridiculous since Hirayon had been sleeping for days and should have managed to regain all lost Aura, Aurelius claimed that Hirayon's body was shutting down due to the lack of it. His defense mechanism was only to sleep and eat to conserve Aura as much as possible, seemingly an implausible theory to Savio.

As long as the Oddity System existed, it was common knowledge that people could replenish lost Aura through simple rest and sleep. While some opted to expedite the process by draining Aura from stones, this luxury was affordable only to a select few. The cost of each stone, especially high-class ones, made them impractical for average oddities, given their high demand from aristocrats.

'This doesn't make sense. If the child's body drained the Aura from the stones, he must possess a massive Aura Ring. One that can't be easily filled with just sleep and rest. And if that's the case, his strength in the games was far below his potential.'

Numerous questions occupied Savio's mind. So many mysteries were yet to be unraveled, and the one person who could potentially provide answers remained silent on the bed. His condition did not improve, and despite Savio's thorough checks for any signs of illness, Hirayon appeared healthy.

With a small box, spacious enough to accommodate five large hardbound books, FORT685 settled into an unoccupied chair beside Hirayon. The dark wood container alone hinted at its precious contents. Carefully, FORT685 twisted the hook in the middle that served as its lock, revealing several gleaming blue Water Aura Stones that sparkled like clear water when hit by light. Ten stones were arranged in five columns and two rows, all cut into radiant rectangles, aligned on a cotton-white velvet tray.

Without further instructions from Savio, FORT685 selected one stone and placed it on Hirayon's open palm. Despite Hirayon being asleep, Savio mentioned it wouldn't matter, as the child's body would automatically drain the stone if it needed Aura.

A few seconds passed, and the stone remained clear blue. Confused by the situation, FORT685 glanced at Savio, his eyes silently posing an unasked question.

However, Savio's gaze remained fixed on Hirayon, awaiting something yet expecting nothing. He clung to the belief that Hirayon wasn't lacking in Aura. However, the child shattered his conclusions once again as the blue stone slowly lost its color, widening Savio's eyes in astonishment.

Observing Savio's reaction, FORT685 turned his attention back to Hirayon's palm. The stone's color gradually lightened until it turned grey, eventually dispersing in the air like fine dust.

An awkward silence enveloped the room, and FORT685 restrained himself from glancing at Savio's expression. Aware that Savio had doubted Hirayon's need for Aura, FORT685 was certain the trainer felt upset for being proven wrong.

Hearing a frustrated sigh, FORT685 kept his gaze on the still-sleeping child. Ironically, the more he tried to be still, the more his head quivered, aching to move.

"Continue doing that until he stops draining the Aura," Savio ordered, which the servant quickly followed.

Despite his annoyance and the looming pile of research on Hirayon's condition, Savio yearned to witness firsthand how much Aura the child truly needed.

The process of FORT685 placing an Aura Stone on Hirayon's hand and the latter draining it to nothing continued until only one Water Stone was left on the box. FORT685 put the final one on Hirayon's palm before looking at Savio, his eyes asking what they would do next.

"Bring the next box," Savio commanded, and FORT685 complied.

This cycle persisted for hours until five boxes, filled with Class-E Aura Stones, were left in crumbles.

"How many stones were there in each box?" Savio inquired, now facing the final box containing Blood Stones.

"There were one hundred in each box..." FORT685 answered, his eyes slightly unfocused. He couldn't fathom how such a tiny body kept draining hundreds of Aura stones when one adult Veteran Oddity only needed 50 Class-E Aura Stones to recover all of their aura.

With a similarly bewildered expression, Savio looked at Hirayon like a black hole, devouring all the Aura and appearing insatiable. He simply couldn't understand how the child was draining so much more than his body needed. Doubts began to creep in about whether this was the right course of action, but Savio chose to trust Aurelius.

Summoning Odilens, a holographic screen appeared before Savio, displaying Aurelius's name.

A few rings later, Aurelius appeared on the screen with his usual imposing demeanor. Even though he was only present on the screen, Savio could feel the powerful presence that only Prime Oddities could emit.

"It's not enough. I think we'll need Class-D or, even better, Class-C stones," Savio spoke, getting straight to the point of the video call.

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Without a second wasted, Aurelius spoke. "I'll send a few boxes of Class-C Stones tomorrow."

True to his word, three boxes of water stones arrived the next day.

"That's a lot," FORT685 commented.

Upon opening a wooden container similar to yesterday's, FORT685 was bathed in the brilliant glow the Water Stones emitted. The gleam they gave off was noticeably different from the Class-E stones, as it didn't need light to mirror its brilliance. Although it wasn't his first time seeing a Class-C Stone, it was the first time he had seen such a quantity, making even him think twice about using them carelessly. This demonstrated the considerable influence of Aurelius, capable of swiftly sending hundreds of expensive, high-quality stones.

'Obtaining such a number of stones must have required a lot of effort, especially given the consistently high demand in the market,' Savio pondered, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the servant tasked with collecting the stones.

"If these prove insufficient, then we might need to consider acquiring Monster Cores," Savio remarked, his eyes fixed on the radiant blue Water Stones. Their pure appearance resembled a clear summer spring.

"Wouldn't that be more expensive?" FORT685 inquired, noting the substantial price difference between the two. If a Class-C aura stone cost 500 quea each, a Class-C Monster Core would be at least twice as expensive, depending on market demands.

"It will be, but Aurelius won't have a choice," Savio pointed out. He had already invested significantly in Hirayon, and Savio understood that Aurelius wouldn't even entertain the thought of withdrawing his support, acknowledging such a shameful loss.

Nodding, FORT685 placed a stone on Hirayon's palm without being asked. Unlike yesterday, when Hirayon was completely asleep, he had just eaten and was barely awake. His eyes gazed at the ceiling, but he evidently had no thoughts.

In a dreamlike state, Hirayon felt the Aura flowing into his system. This sensation had persisted since yesterday, providing a slight relief. Slowly, his mind began to clear, granting him the mental space to ponder.

'What's happening to me? Why am I so tired?' He wrestled with these thoughts, but no helpful answers emerged.

Tired from thinking, Hirayon closed his eyes and unconsciously went inside his Core Space.

Dazed, Hirayon tried to look around, but his body wouldn't move at his will. 'Why... is it so dark? Am I dreaming?'

Suddenly, his focus shifted to his Core Orb, radiating a soft glow. Although the blue orb with subtle swirls of other colors remained familiar, Hirayon sensed that the place had grown darker since his last visit.

Like in a dream, Hirayon's body moved on its own. It walked away from the Core Orb and headed in a particular direction. Continuing toward the distant light, he eventually found himself surrounded by a void. However, this didn't last long, as he soon spotted a long streak of horizontal light in the distance.

Not far from it was a figure that Hirayon could discern as the silhouette of a human. Approaching, he noticed the figure gazing into the distance as if fixated on his Aura Ring.

Hirayon halted about ten steps from the figure, seemingly suspended in some light. Now that he could see clearly, the human wore a battle-worn outfit—a pair of sturdy heeled boots, black fitted pants, an oddly shaped top, and a black leather rope stylishly wrapped around its body. If not on the body, it could be mistaken for a weapon with its striking resemblance to a whip.

Baffled by the strange dream, Hirayon unconsciously extended his hand to confirm the figure's reality. However, his hand was stopped by a warm, feminine voice he knew well.

"How are you?" she asked, but Hirayon remained silent. Something within him shuddered, slightly clearing his foggy mind, and he remembered who owned the voice he missed hearing.

The woman turned around, and the same bluish-violet orbs met Hirayon's. Her long, black, wavy hair cascaded down to her waist, framing a face of elegance. Her eyes, round and clear, held a depth that mirrored familiarity. Every feature spoke of a beauty he knew well, the person he had relied on for years—the one who always embraced him with warmth.

'Mama...'

Waves of emotions crashed over Hirayon—happiness, sadness, confusion—all overshadowed by the longing of a young son, robbed of a parent he thought he would be with forever. With so much to express, Hirayon tried to open his mouth, but no voice emerged. He also desired to move closer to her but found his limbs unresponsive, no matter how much he tried.

"You must've grown now," she remarked as if not fully recognizing her son in front of her. Though her lips moved, no audible sound accompanied them. Instead, her words directly resonated in his mind.

"This is just a fragment of my Aura I left within you. I know the barrier I set will break someday, so I placed some of my consciousness inside to talk to you. Well, we can't communicate, so just listen," she said with a relatively calm expression. It was then that Hirayon realized she appeared as a younger version of his mother, distinctly different from the thin, weak form he last remembered.

"The power you were born with was too much for a baby who had yet to walk and think independently. So, I sealed some of your abilities within you using my barrier. This way, you could live a normal life and let your body grow. If you're now an adult oddity, I can imagine how powerful you've become, enough to break my barrier."

Suddenly, her expression turned grim. "But if the barrier breaks and you're still young, your power will overwhelm your body, causing chaos, as you're too weak to control everything. It will consume your Aura, making you feel weak."

'The barrier broke?'

"Even though you're the son of a Prime Oddity and naturally possess a lot of Aura, what you have wouldn't be enough. So, get stronger and fill yourself with Aura, Hirayon. That's what you need to continue living. Hunt monsters and absorb their Aura if needed. And if you ever feel helpless, find your father. Look for Azure Hanan. He'll definitely help you."

The image of Marin drew closer, and even though Hirayon wanted to reach out and move his arms, he remained still. His body failed him yet again.

"This would be the last time you'll see me. But don't fret; you're not alone. I'm certain you'll find a friend," Marin assured before gracing her son with a small yet radiant smile.

The image of Marin slowly dissipated into the void. While Hirayon couldn't shake off a profound sadness, a certain peace within him was sparked by the memory of her smile. Several months had passed since his mother's passing, and even though he carried on with his days as he should, the image of the mother he left in the cave would occasionally resurface.

Regret weighed heavily on him. If only he had possessed the strength to stay at their home, give his mother a proper burial, or, better yet, the ability to cure her illness and avert her death.

He felt inept and undeserving of the care she had showered upon him. Although it was too late to repay her kindness, he harbored a desire to do something for her — to clear her name.

Though he never had the chance to inquire from his father why his mother was branded a criminal, he knew deep down that she was incapable of such a crime. She could mercilessly slay monsters but would never inflict harm or steal from the oddities who occasionally strayed near the cave.

Contemplating his situation, Hirayon recognized the pressing need to acquire so much Aura. Fueled by this realization, he embraced a newfound determination, understanding that this accumulation was not merely a goal but a vital requirement for his journey ahead.

R E H I L I Y A