Day 170

It was finally time. For weeks, I'd learned about aura and watched Silvia hone hers. So it was time to make her take mine out of me—at least, that was the theory. At the inn, I sat cross-legged on my bed, my hands resting on my knees as Silvia stood behind me, her hands placed on my back. "Don't blame me if this breaks your aura nodes," she warned, her tone as cold and blunt as ever.

"Just do it already," I replied, bracing myself for whatever was about to happen. Without another word, Silvia pushed her aura against my back. I felt it—a sudden, jolting influx of electricity pouring into me. My body jerked spasmodically, muscles tightening as the aura pushed its way through my dormant nodes. It was overwhelming at first like being hit by lightning, but then, something clicked.

The sensation shifted. The raw energy began to flow smoothly, coursing through my body like a second bloodstream. Silvia pulled her hands away, and I opened my eyes, exhaling slowly. "Huh… that wasn't nearly as bad as you made it sound," I said, flexing my fingers as I felt the unfamiliar yet exhilarating power settle within me. Silvia crossed her arms, looking unimpressed.

"Of course, it didn't hurt. You're a freak of nature," she muttered. During the following few minutes, I tested my freshly discovered aura. What I realized surprised me a little—even me. The reserves available to my aura were enormous in comparison to Silvia's reserves—an aspect of my ability where I stole the unawakened aura from multiple enemies I eliminated over time.

It had literally been an unconscious collection for most of my journey without me knowing about it at all. But more surprising was how quickly I adapted. It had taken Silvia weeks to learn how to manipulate aura, but I did it in mere seconds, shaping and bending it to my will. Moments later, I took it a step further, manifesting another aura ability called Aura swords in both hands.

The blades pulsed with raw energy, crackling with power from their edges, twirling one aura sword experimentally before letting it dissipate into the air. Silvia, however, stood by the door with her eyes tweaking. She watched me in silence, her expression unreadable, until finally, she spoke. "Fucked-up ass, cheater," she said in that dead flat tone. Without another word, she walked out of the room, leaving me there alone.

Silvia may have been piqued, but I knew she was far from being angry. It was only her way of coping with the absurdity of my development.

Day 200

Ruby had grown incredibly within such a short time. Within a few months, he had mastered his Elemental Magic: Fire and Earth, along with their combined form, Lava Magic. To top it all off, he had also mastered his Non-Elemental Magic: Darkness Magic. His progress did not end with magic, though he had learned to read, write, and even speak fluently, leaving behind the rough, broken sentences he used to struggle with.

Well, for me, the experience was not less intense. I have finally mastered my own form of Elemental Magic: Fire, Wind, and Earth, and their combined forms: Dust, Lava, and Lightning Magic. Not to mention Aura, which I mastered in just a few minutes a month ago. When other people started noticing, I could not feel like I was done yet; mastering it all just made me... Bored.

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The Yalarien Kingdom, as beautiful and full of promise as it was, had no place for a soul like mine, a true nomad at heart. The structure and routine of the academy, which had seemed so thrilling at first, now felt suffocating. I wanted to be back on the open road, battling for my limits and being pushed beyond what I thought myself capable of. To drive away the tedium, I had turned to the library at Kreel Academy.

Day in and day out, when I had free time, I spent running along its endless shelves, reading book after book. Magic theories, historical accounts, arcane philosophies, and even fictional tales. It became my routine, my distraction, my escape from the dullness of mastery. Yet, as I turned one page to another, another part of me yearned for another chapter in my life.

Day 205

One title struck my attention during a late-night session at Kreel Academy's library when I was very absorbed in analyzing many books: The Tale of the Five Emperors. I remember that Silvia mentioned a song named The Ballad of the Five Emperors to me. It probably is the means by which bards passed along the story to illiterate people. However, this iteration was inscribed and maintained on pristine parchment as opposed to ephemeral tunes. Intrigued, I retrieved the book and began reading.

The narrative starts with a person named Zehanpuryu, a Cherubim—an angel of high ranking and considerable might—who audaciously chose to revolt against the deity. As a consequence of his insubordination, he was banished to the Material Plane and deprived of his eternal life. While he could die of mortal wounds, he could not die of old age, making his existence both mortal and immortal. An outcast and without a sense of purpose, Zehanpuryu spent centuries wandering the world until such a time when an otherworldly threat came crashing into it.

Aberrations—horror incarnate from another dimension—began pouring into the Material Plane through dimensional cracks, wreaking havoc and destroying everything in their path. Mortals—in the form of humans, demi-humans, or monsters—could do little against the invaders. As Zehanpuryu watched the destruction happening, he felt compassion for the mortals. He pleaded to the deity to give him help; he begged the angels to be freed so they could join him in battle. But he received no answer. Having no other choice, he decided to face the Aberrations and seal the dimensional rifts by himself.

Although Zehanpuryu was one of the best Cherubim, the sheer number of Aberrations overwhelmed him, far beyond his immense power. He could not possibly fight them alone; he chose five lieutenants, all different species for each—but the tale strangely would not reveal what those were. To each of these lieutenants, he granted incredible powers, which manifested on their left hand as glowing tattoos; each comes with a title: Sword Emperor, Magic Emperor, Dragon Emperor, Death Emperor, and lastly, himself, whom he designates the Emperor Supreme. Together, these six people began a war against the Aberrations, sealing the cracks and saving the Material Plane.

However, as the years went by and the Aberration threat lessened, the purpose of the emperors began to fade. That was when they learned of the dark secret behind their power: tattoos granting them immortality—though, as with Zehanpuryu, mortal wounds could kill them. The story of their immortality and power spread, fueling human greed. People began to chase the emperors, believing that killing one would grant the victor the tattoo—and its powers—along with it. In the chaos of it all, Zehanpuryu disappeared. The remaining emperors, disappointed in the mortal greed surrounding their existence, hid themselves and lived secretly. They kept not only their identities but their power safe while they moved on to protect the world from the shadows. Generations went by, and slowly, the story of emperors faded away into myth. Many called them a natural phenomenon, awakening as tattoos in people rather than any angel's gift.

The narrative concluded with an ambiguous conclusion, leaving the essence of the Five Emperors enveloped in obscurity. I reclined, shutting the book with a gentle sound. The account was captivating—a confluence of valor, selflessness, and the persistent avarice inherent to humanity. Regardless of its veracity, it constituted a narrative deserving of remembrance.

END OF VOLUME 2