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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
At the break of dawn, Alexandri woke up to find Al meditating. He was impressed by Al’s discipline and could clearly see the growth he had made so far. However, when he turned his gaze toward Shin, he found him lying carefreely, completely undisturbed, despite his earlier fears about sleeping in the marsh. With a loud grunt, Alexandri shattered the morning silence, breaking Al’s concentration and abruptly waking Shin.
"Get up, you two," Alexandri commanded.
He tossed the weight bags they had worn during their earlier run to the marsh. As soon as the boys strapped them on, they felt significantly heavier than before, when they had run with it on their journey to the marsh. A knowing smirk played on Alexandri’s face as he strode toward a large boulder, lifted it effortlessly as if it were no more than a tin can, and secured it to his back with a thick rope. Signaling the boys to follow, he took off running. The path they followed was an open trail through the marsh, strangely structured, almost as if it had been man-made.
As they ran, Alexandri spoke, his voice steady despite the exertion. “I hope you paid close attention to the fight between the two monsters last night. Those are the types of creatures you’ll be facing here.”
The boys exchanged glances but remained silent, absorbing every word.
“There are five recorded levels of monsters throughout history,” Alexandri continued. “They range from level five to level one. The two beasts you saw last night were both level two. Level ones… are disaster-class creatures. The kind you pray you never have to face without an army. Dragons, for example, fall into that category.”
Shin’s breath hitched slightly at the mention of dragons, while Al furrowed his brows, recalling past encounters from his previous life.
“But,” Alexandri’s voice darkened, “there has been one rare case of a level zero. It was a catastrophic event that left nothing but a massive hole where an entire kingdom used to be. No one knows what caused it. One day, the kingdom was thriving, and the next, it simply vanished,” a chill ran down Shin's spine, but he masked his unease.
Al’s eyes narrowed. He had read about it in his previous life, but the information had always been shrouded in mystery.
Al clenched his fists. He had once faced a level-one creature in his past life when he fought the fourth guardian. But even with help, there had been countless casualties. In the end, he was betrayed and killed.
He had two years before the first cataclysmic event would take place. Two years. Just two years before Krantu's followers would rise, and with them, the cataclysmic event that would tear the world apart. He had no time to waste. His powers were weak, his memories a little fragmented, and the whispers of his past. The forgotten god of destruction, Krantu, had been buried for ages, but his followers still remembered him. Soon, The cultists, the zealots—soon, they would gather, and the world would burn.
Al knew his only hope of stopping this doom was regaining the strength he once had. The dungeon, hidden deep in dangerous corners of the world, held the answers. Inside it, the power he gained from relics in his past life, the powers that made him very powerful, awaited. But the dungeon was no place for the weak and mild. It was full of monsters and traps, its depths unforgiving. Still, he had no choice but to enter. Time was running out, and the whispers of his former self urged him to hurry. Only by unlocking his hidden strength could he stand against Krantu's rising tide. The clock was ticking. But first, he had to gain his freedom.
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“The creatures here mostly range from level five to level two,” Alexandri continued. “Be careful not to wander into unmapped territory.”
The sun had risen high, its scorching rays beating down on them as they continued their relentless run. Despite their exhaustion, they couldn’t help but glance at Alexandri, who barely showed any signs of exertion. Without warning, he increased his pace, commanding them to keep up.
They struggled but pushed through, their breaths ragged. After what felt like hours, they finally reached an elevated summit within the marsh—the highest peak in the vicinity. Alexandri stood at the edge, eyes scanning the area.
“This place is home to a monster,” he said. “But it’s safe for now. It’s out looking for a mate.”
The boys exhaled deeply in relief, nearly collapsing onto the ground as Alexandri ordered them to drop their weights. As soon as they did, their bodies felt significantly lighter.
“Throughout the run, you were also releasing your aura,” Alexandri said.
“That not only boosted your stamina but also helped refine your aura output. A defined aura is a powerful one.”
The boys took a moment to appreciate their surroundings. The view from the peak was breathtaking. The marsh stretched out endlessly beneath them, its beauty unexpected yet mesmerizing.
“Wow,” Shin whispered, awestruck.
Al nodded in agreement but quickly turned back to Alexandri. “Why are we here?” he asked. “If you were cautious about bringing us here, there must be a reason.”
Alexandri smirked. “This place has the highest concentration of mana in the entire marsh. You don’t realize it because of the training you’ve undergone. If you had come here before, your bodies wouldn’t have been able to handle it. The sheer mana density would have killed you.”
The weight of his words sank in. Al and Shin exchanged glances, their awe shifting into a newfound respect for the training they had endured.
“Most creatures in the marsh can’t survive here,” Alexandri continued. “But I brought you here for a reason.”
Reaching into a pouch on his waist, he pulled out a mana orb, a tool used by mages to determine elemental attributes.
“It’s a common misconception that aura attributes can’t be tested with this,” he explained. “That’s false. Aura is refined from mana. While they are slightly different, they are also similar in many ways."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. "Mana is the raw, untamed force that exists in the world, an unshaped power that flows through all living things and the environment. It is the very fabric of existence, the foundation upon which all magical phenomena occur. However, aura is different. Aura is the refined version of mana, honed by an individual’s spirit, willpower, and body. It is mana given form, shaped by one’s essence and determination."
"The two are deeply connected. Aura retains the properties of its parent source.
He rolled the orb in his palm, eyes flickering between Al and Shin. "Think of mana as water in a vast ocean—boundless and formless. It exists everywhere, but by itself, it is untamed. Aura, on the other hand, is that same water channeled through a river. The river gives it structure, guides its flow, and refines its power. Because aura originates from mana, it retains many of its properties, including elemental affinity. By identifying your mana’s attributes, we can determine what elements your aura will respond to most naturally."
Holding the orb in his palm, he demonstrated how it worked. A sand-like material formed around the orb, signifying his earth attribute.
“Shin, you go first.”
Shin hesitated for only a second before taking a deep breath. He focused, drawing in the surrounding mana, and then placed his hand on the orb. A dazzling light erupted from within, illuminating the surroundings with a blinding radiance. At the same time, streaks of white lightning crackled across the orb’s surface, dancing like wild serpents. The sheer intensity of the reaction made the ground beneath them tremble slightly.
Alexandri’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Incredible… Light and lightning attributes.”
Shin beamed with excitement. “What does that mean?”
Alexandri smiled. “It means you have immense potential. This is only the second time I’ve encountered someone with these attributes.”
Shin clenched his fists, determination gleaming in his eyes.
“Al, your turn.”
Al already knew his previous life’s attributes—fire and wind. He was confident that nothing had changed. As he placed his hand on the orb, flames erupted, swirling with wind just as expected. But then, something unexpected happened. The flames coiled, drawing in an unseen force as rippling water formed rings around them. The elements did not oppose each other but rather merged in a delicate balance. Then, a final surprise—a faint, ethereal shimmer of light flickered at the orb’s core. The elements pulsed in harmony, each reinforcing the other rather than canceling out.
Al’s eyes widened. He hadn’t possessed water or light attributes in his past life.
Alexandri stared at him, equally stunned. “Impossible…”
Silence hung in the air as they both processed what had just occurred.
Al slowly withdrew his hand. What did this mean? Had something changed after his reincarnation? Or was this a part of his newfound destiny?
Alexandri took a deep breath. “Well, Al… it looks like you’re full of surprises.”
For the first time in a long while, Alexandri found himself at a loss for words. He could only stare at Al, knowing full well that something about him was far beyond ordinary.