Chapter: 107: Rematch_The Regressed NoBody

My mouth was filled by the taste of blood, as I grunted a curse underneath my breath, my mind squirmed from a sharp headache, the colours still drained and dull as my insides seethed and I spat blood again, my convulsing body settled, but I was unable to focus on the man standing several meters away from me.

“M-Mordian...is that you?”

It took me several seconds to understand what had conspired afterward as I laid unmoving in my position. My body recovering slowly as I stirred, as I manipulated mana rotation.

But from what I was able to make out of his appearance through my blurry vision and dull senses were two bright egnamtic eyes burning liquid gold with a slight quality of iridescent—which vividly reminded me of someone, but my mind couldn’t seem to focus on any thoughts as I felt like my temples were being stabbed by rods as the growing pain left me vulnerable and weary.

I guess I'd pushed myself using three skills at once, and to top it all off, using crescent moon style. But through the enhanced cognitive augmentation of my mind which was provided by Ruler’s Authority, I was finally able to acquire the insight necessary to access the power to manipulate time to some degree, which I previously lacked.

My eyes followed the tall man, my breath weary and entire body wheezing in pain. I saw the tall man draped in black robes with a few areas adorned with a porcelain white, made for battle, but also used as a simple garment to be worn on a daily basis for comfort. Long locks of vibrate cream wheat blonde hair ran down his back as he stood confidently, oozing as much poise and pride in his demeanour, as the mana in the air seem to rush toward him as it was being sucked into his body like a vortex.

My eyes gained clarity and I fully focused on the man’s features now, which were breathtakingly handsome, the cream white of his skin, the curve of his cheeks, the line of his nose, the stroke of his eye brows, his sharp jawline, and piercing eyes, there was no imperfection visible on his otherworldly face—which left even Indra’s handsome and mature features to shame—the demeanour with which he carried himself spoke highly of his etiquette, but for some reason he looked confused, no...more so perplexed and in shock as I heard the sound of firm footsteps approach me.

My rapid heartbeat calmed as I saw Mordian standing several steps ahead from me, his arms loosening by his sides, but there was something which made me wary of him.

But his frown didn’t seem to disappear, as he looked at me with an impassive face now. His expression unreadable as his piercing eyes looked down on me.

“You...you can’t be...” He said, as if his eyes were looking for some answer. “You’re...” His words incomprehensible to me, as he paused with a furrow of his brows. "How could it be you?"

I was confused. Why was Mordian acting in such a way? Did something happen? The last thing I remembered before exiting the frozen world was the sudden flux, which felt odd to me. But it could’ve been due to my lack of concentration or crumbling hold over my skill.

During the time which sped past between us, Mordian remained silent, my eyes didn’t once peel away from him, and in that exact moment my mind returned to my time in the thalassalithion's world, as I seem to remember where I’d seen those same eyes which burned liquid gold and had an otherworldly presence to them—which I’d seen after witnessing Jiwoo's fragmented memories.

Could Mordian be related to the individual I’d seen in that memory not long ago? I thought as Mordian’s cold eyes followed me as he remained quiet, not uttering the slightest of a hum.

But I don’t think it would be appropriate to ask questions right now. I would definitely get an opportunity at a later time.

“What are you looking at?” I said, leaning my head back to relax. For some reason I felt nervous and anxious as my body was almost healed, but it would still take time for the fatigue to wear off.

But I shrugged as the dragon took a breath and his face turned stoic, unlike his sharp impassive expression. He eased slightly, as if he'd come to a decision.

“So you were really able to do it.” He said, matter-of-factly, as if he wasn’t convinced earlier. “I thought you were all talk, and making up most of your abilities.”

“To be able to wield a power which even the dragons lacked to have control despite our continued effort to wield and understand it, you truly are a peculiar human.” Sarcasm laced his tone as he smirked slightly, his eyes sober yet sharp, but also looking friendly, but slightly.

“Yeah, that’s what I told you. And it wasn’t such a nice experience for me either. That skill places an unimaginable burden over my body whenever I use it, so I just had to end it in one go.” I grunted, as a series of hard coughs left me as an unbearable pain grew near my sternum. “And I’m no masochist to go through that much pain. Fortunately the odds were in my favour and I’ve finally gained access to make use of my skill in one more way.”

“I see.” Mordian nodded.

I quickly pulled out a flask from the inventory filled with the essence I’d collected from the evernight tree. The liquid stirred as I opened the top and chugged it down, as the pain started to lessen and I took a breath of relief.

“And...” he said suddenly, his face took a serious expression, replaced with gratitude, which I honestly found odd. “Thanks to your efforts I was finally released from my imprisonment after centuries. Seo Jiwoo, your help...I shall not forget this favour.”

My brows rose playfully as I looked at Mordian with a shocked face. But I wiped that expression and quickly composed myself with a dry cough. Honestly I never that the prideful dragon had it in him to thank someone sincerely.

“Don’t mention it. It was necessary for the both of us anyway, and I think with this we should be good to leave any time when the system gives me any update on the trial.” I returned with a thoughtful stare, as Mordian nodded back.

Then several hours flew by quickly as I recovered from the damage I’d undergone as my mana had almost completely recovered, and in the mean time Mordian continued his meditation and own training.

I merely observed him with my interest piqued. I keenly studied the way the mana reacted when absorbed and purged through his different constitution using Mind’s Eye. His dragonic mana burned with an otherworldly presence, unlike any mana I’d ever seen or sensed before.

It was pure and filtered, without any impurities visible, so much mana held in a single person, his mana was like a clean canvas without any stain.

Could a human be able to achieve mastery into mana like that? That concentrated amount, cultivated for centuries? I thought, but the more I observed, I found the mana which was restrained by the curse placed over Mordian, making his mana unknowingly leak out of his body and asunder into the atmosphere, making his presence known even if he tried to consciously hide it by using mana rotation to evenly level his intake and the mana released outward by the curse.

Now that I think about it, I saw Indra in a more human-like form, but Mordian was a dragon from the start, and then turned into a more humanoid figure after being released.

"Hey Mordian." I called out to him, as he opened his eyes and acknowledged.

"How did you turn into a more humanoid form? I saw Indra in his humanoid form from the get go, and not his basilisk form, unlike you who I saw in his true form, so is it like a trait only exclusive to the ash’ari?"

Mordian continued manipulating mana rotation as he answered. "Yes! From the beginning we are evolved creatures, which after gaining ample control over mana we gained the ability to shift our body—or technically our own mana—after our evolution and manipulate it in a way to allow us to take a more certain form which we deem necessary. So, what you saw earlier was my true-form, and all ash’ari share three form in which they can shift their body into." Mordian took a breath, easing in his position. "There is our true-form, which is our original physique, allowing us to return back to our true complete constitution, the second as you may have guessed is the humanoid-form, through which we can gain access to more human-like features, and last is the miniature-form, it allows us to transform ourselves into a smaller form."

"I see." I nodded back, as Mordian went back to his training.

My curiosity burrowed into my mind, and after a few minutes I urged the system interface and it appeared in front of me.

Like a tableau, the interface came to life and displayed my stats and other information.

My eyes followed the information up and down as I looked at my stats, and out of them all, perseverance had been the only passive skill which was maxed out. Well considering the trauma-inducing things I'd witnessed so far, it was only right that it maxed out back then.

Plus my swordsmanship is also max level.

----

NAME: SEO JIWOO (???)

HP: <70970>

LEVEL: <129>

STRENGTH: <211>

STAMINA: <217>

AGILITY: <208>

VITALITY: <220>

INTELLIGENCE: <180>

MP: <101690>

POINTS: <6160>

_____________

FATIGUE: <18>

_____________

【PASSIVE SKILLS】

[PERSEVERANCE] [LV. MAX];

[PROFESSION]: [Swordsmanship] [LV: MAX];

[Crescent Moon Style] : [First Movement: Moon Split]; [Second Movement: Horizon’s Edge];

[Regeneration] [LV: 4];

[Pain Resistance] [LV: 4];

[Poison Resistance] [LV:3];

[Mana Rotation];

_____________

【ACTIVE SKILLS】

[{A} Acausality] (Sealed)

This skill allows the user to tamper with the flow and structure of time. Allowing the user to stop time for a brief moment upon the activation of the ability and separate himself from the bounds which restrain the physical realm.

Note: An equivalent amount of the host’s Mana will be drained as long as the skill is active. But keeping the skill active for a prolonged period of time can leave permanent damage on the host, both mentally and physically.

Cool down: 2 days

[{??} Ruler’s Authority]

Under the effects of Ruler’s Authority, the host can dominant anyone and anything through the sheer force of his will. The stronger the host’s mentality and will during the duration and activation of the skill, the stronger the effects of the ability itself. Anything and everything can be bended according to the desire of the Supreme Ruler.

______________

【Returnee’s Privilege】 [Time: ??? ] [Synchronisation 59%]

–MIND’S EYE (Sealed) (Unlocked: 80% )

Allowing the host to slow down the flow of time from their perspective, allowing the host to perceive the world in shades of grey through the use of the first phase of the skill. But upon the activation of the second phase the host can also perceive the energy signatures produced by any living being or object, and the ambient structures of mana in the atmosphere and its purest forms...???

–LEAP

This skill allows the user to teleport to a specific location after empowering an image in their mind. The wormholes (pathways) spiralling in the atmosphere, connecting to a specified location by the pulse of mana(?) like a woven interconnecting web, making a gate like connection for the host to bypass through. But as the host’s understanding and insight increases, the host can teleport without any external interference—empowering any location. Allowing the pathways to guide the host, whenever and wherever the host wishes to teleport too.

Each wormhole contains information about a different locations, but connecting every path to every other.

–????

______________

【????】

–???? [7%]

______________

----

But there didn’t seem to be any changes in my skills, or the last part with the omitted information. The percentage hadn’t budged once, after I’d broken through to the enlightenment stage in the thalassalithion’s world, after experiencing those fragmented memories and that obscured message.

Unbeknownst to me, my eyes followed Mordian, I still very much wanted to ask the question which was bothering me. The man I’d seen after witnessing Jiwoo’s fragmented memories, the man with the wheat blonde hair, sharing the same eyes as Mordian.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

And Mordian’s face really reminded me of him. His facial features were similar to that man. Could he be Mordian’s ancestor?

I thought, trying to piece the puzzle together. But something just didn’t seem to click.

If he is Mordian’s ancestor, then why did I saw him of all people? If I remembered correctly, he was standing beside that obscured individual in that vision and his words were still incomprehensible to me.

“Hope, huh?!” I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I leaned against the uneven crater in the ground.

But suddenly the interface seem to stir and ripple as streaks of light left its surface and soon another a window popped up in front of me.

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【 Passive Skills Increase】

[Regeneration] [LV. 4] ---> [Instant Regeneration] [LV. 5]

[Pain Resistance] [LV. 4] ---> [Pain Nullification] [LV. 5]

[Poison Resistance] [LV. 3] ---> [Poison Resistance] [LV. 4]

__________

The sudden level up took me by surprise, as my face flummoxed in shock.

I stood straight and quickly went through the information on the interface.

But why now? I thought with a perplexed face. I didn’t level up nor did I clear any trial or any quest or challenge given to me by the system.

There was no explanation for this sudden level up, except for that my body had unknowingly become stronger and made adjustments after experiencing fiercer damage inside the static world. That could be the only explanation.

But...my eyes peered to where Mordian sat cross-legged, still meditating, whilst utilizing mana rotation, his concentration impeccable.

No, it can’t be that...I inwardly said, shooing away the inclination.

But after the sudden level increase of my passive skills, another window popped up and finally I saw what I’ve been meaning to from the past few weeks.

The window had the information about the continuation of the trial.

I quickly looked over to Mordian’s side, as he opened his eyes and stopped manipulating mana rotation, taking a hold of his feet as the dragon stood and looked me in the eyes.

“It’s time. We can finally go back to the trials. I have received the continuation message, so if you're ready we can leave immediately,” I said, looking enthusiastic, but slightly nervous and anxious at the same time for what could be awaiting us on the other side.

“I understand.” Mordian returned with an understanding nod. His expression stoic and demeanour firm yet cool. “But before we leave for these trials, I’d like to propose a proposition to you.” He said, his words sounding sagacious, his eyes looking incisive.

“And what is it?” I exclaimed, trying to sound coherent, but looking at the dragon made me feel like I was standing on the edge of a crater, making me nervous.

“I want to make a covenant with you.” He only said that and fell silent.

I nodded in understanding, trying to rationally understand what Mordian was saying to me.

But he was right, with him by my side, he could be a great help in my journey, and it was needless to say that I wouldn’t be able to acquire a stronger and more reliable companion than him.

“So, ahh...”I let my voice roll for a second in thought. “How do we get this done, like ahh....do we pledge allegiance to each other, or like do a hand shake to make a covenant?” I said, sounding curious over what would Mordian possibly do.

“It isn’t something weird or gross like how those demons do it, right? I don’t have to you know...” I paused, not trying to sound grossed out as I fixed my perplexed expression. “Like ahh...drink your blood or whatever to solidify this covenant?” My face wore a frown as Mordian sighed and almost face slammed hearing my words.

“It isn’t something even relatively close to whatever is going on inside your mind.” The dragon said, his eyes looking slightly perplexed as I shrugged away his judgmental gaze with a laugh as I awkwardly rubbed the back of my head.

“Come here.” Mordian said, as I complied and walked closer to him.

He took my left hand in his left hand, and soon afterward closed his eyes as I felt like a bolt of lightning had coursed through my body as the mana in the air stirred, my body starting to burn and ache slightly as I left an involuntary push from my mana despite my own will to not do so, same was the case with Mordian.

Then seeing him I allowed my mana to move however it was.

And I felt like the slightly essence of our mana was intermingling.

I gaped at him, as Mordian's eyes suddenly opened, they were burning with an aura of golden-white shrouding his eyelids, as his entire body exuded the same otherworldly energy, which soon started to envelop me as I tried to jerk my arm free of his grasp as the sensation of lightning coursing through my veins and entire body became stronger and more vivid, as my entire body started to burn.

But the moment I felt our mana touch, his grip loosened over my arm as I parried it free and felt the itching and burring sensation relieve, the pain leaving as quickly as it had come, as I looked at the base of my wrist and saw an intricate marking, a circular shaped rune, which was engraved and etched on to my skin.

‘With this the covenant should be complete. We are bonded together now.’

I swore I heard Mordian’s voice, but I didn’t see his mouth move, not even the slightest twitch of a muscle as he looked solemnly at me.

‘You can hear me, can’t you?’ I heard his voice inside my mind echo again.

My face twisted in flabbergast as I looked at Mordian, urging him for answers.

“This is how beast tamers make covenants with their selected mana beast. And through the process of bonding they can learn to communicate with their chosen beast, in subtle ways that is, which is only available to them.” Mordian explained as he jerked his wrist using his other hand and stood straight as the golden aura around him settled. “It's similar to their minds connecting together so that they can better understand one another through the intuitive feeling of their connection and bond for each other. In simpler terms, they can pass on their feelings and emotions on to their bond, but can’t outright speak or communicate with them, despite having a certain level of intelligence.”

“But there are exceptions, sometimes.” He added afterward. “So with this, our minds are connected, and we can vocalize our thoughts and opinions to each other, so it will be easier for us to stay in touch in certain situations in which we can’t directly communicate or are in a distance from one another.”

“That is indeed convenient,” I returned with an understanding nod.

But right after the covenant had been made, I felt my face wear a frown as my brows furrowed as I saw a window opening in front of me.

“So that’s how the system looks like. Quite an interesting design and phenomenon! So, what is it? ” Mordian suddenly asked, eyes heavy with curiosity. “What does the interface say?”

“You can see it?” I said in shock, looking at Mordian with questioning eyes.

“I told you, our minds are connected now as we are bonded, I can vaguely peek into your mind, as you can into mine, and see what you are seeing. Its a trope of being a beast tamer.” Mordian said with a shrug, looking at me with a slight smug which didn’t sit right with me.

“But that is possible because we have made a covenant based on equal terms, so we are equals in this deal.”

I nodded, as I gave it a passing thought and tried to do what Mordian had explained. I dwelled deeper into his mind, the sensation similar to passing through a dark tunnel with a glimmer of light at the end, and instead of pushing me away or building a wall to stop me, he ushered me through the confines of his mind effortlessly, made way for me and soon enough I gasped in surprise as I seem to see my own visage through his eyes, it was similar to looking at my reflection through a mirror.

My locks of glossy black hair—which had grown long enough to be tied—framing my sharp features came into my view.

“So that's how beast tamers must feel, communicating with their bond.” I said, trying to tear my mind back to the sudden message from the system.

Mordian looked at me with awaiting eyes as I turned my head and saw the interface looming in mid-air, as I read through the information.

__________

【 CONGRATULATIONS】

The host has acquired a new Passive Profession of

__________

【 CONGRATULATIONS】

[ACTIVE SKILL] : has been released from its dormant state. The cool down over the [??] art has been released.

__________

【 CONGRATULATIONS】

[{??} Acausality]

__________

Just like how Mordian had done previously, I searched for the tether—awareness which loomed between us—which connected our minds and transmitted the information to him.

His face wore a contemplative frown, trying to understand the information I'd just sent him.

“Its as it says, the skill has been released from its dormant state,” I said, looking into Mordian’s golden eyes. “It no longer has a rank, similar to Ruler Authority—one of my skills—but the one thing I don’t seem to understand is that, every single skill has a rank assigned to it from the moment its found, they just naturally have a rank, depending on their mana or how useful they are.”

“Then what's so weird about its level up?” Mordian asked, his voice heavy with confusion. “Shouldn’t it be good for you that your skill has increased its effect by levelling up?”

“And I think it most probably happened after I gained insight to access the complete first phase of Acausality: Distortion.” I stated, trying to sound rhetorical, but I couldn’t seem to agree to my own words.

“Distortion?” Mordian asked, slightly reserved, his brows rose a fraction of an inch.

“Yeah, in the mean time I was resting and recuperating, I decided to name this phase of Acausality and evolved state of the static world, distortion, for convenience sake.”

But my contemplating mind didn’t rest, as I kept grinding the gears of my brain for answers.

‘Then just why did the skill evolve, and so suddenly, when I’d just made a bond with Mordian?’ I thought, not convinced as my brows knit slightly. ‘It very much can not be a coincidence. Could it have something to do with Mordian’s interference?’ I looked at him with suspicious eyes, as I shielded my thoughts from him, to not allow him to peek into my mind.

Now that I was getting a hang of it, I was slowly getting used to the awareness, the tether, which connected our minds together. So, I could make a wall or hide my thoughts from Mordian whenever I wanted, so did he.

“But the cool down has also disappeared.” I mentioned shortly after, trying to piece together my own thoughts. “When I'd first bought this skill, it had a cool down duration of two weeks, because the damage and strain it placed over my body was exponential, but as I levelled up and got stronger, the rank and duration of the cool down shortened. Which was just now two days, and its rank was previously on the stage, which previously was on the stage when I’d first bought it.”

“Then that could mean that something caused or instigated this sudden change?” Mordian pointed out.

I acknowledged his response, but feigned ignorance over the fact that this might’ve happened after I’d made the covenant with him. For the time being, I pushed these thoughts to the back of my head.

I wasn’t sure if I should share this piece of information with him, regardless of our bond, or the mutual agreement we’d made for our own benefit. It might arose problems, so I should keep it to myself until the time is right to reveal this to him.

But I could feel Mordian’s suspicious and curious gaze looming over me, but I shrugged it away, as I moved slightly aside and began to conjure the portal.

I tapped over the window and confirmed my continuation of the previously failed trial, as I felt the mana in the air began to stir as a suction force began to build a few meters away from us.

The flickering blinding light crackled as it blitzed around as tendrils surged through the air, it felt like the mana was grinding against some invisible force as a crack formed in the space in front of us. The mana converged to a specific spot like a vortex, swirling like a whirlpool as sparks of otherworldly energy exuded from the portal slowly taking form.

Before me, a shiny portal rippled to life, captivating my senses with its brilliance. The portal emitted a bright sheen, casting an ethereal elegance in its immediate vicinity. I watched silently as the peripheral domain of the portal expanded, tearing through the very fabric of space and creating a path for us.

“What?” I said, taken notice of Mordian's astound expression.

“Nothing, just...I was wondering you’re a man of many secrets and mysteries, Jiwoo. To not just be someone who has regressed in time, you’re also able to use powers which even I’m not sure of or can completely fathom, your aptitude is different from other humans. Which makes you special and peculiar.”

Just as Mordian said, I made an obvious face, looking as if it was the norm for me, trying to showcase arrogance and pride, but also being sarcastic. “I could point the same question right back at you. I may have lived only two lives, and experienced only a handful of things, but that can not even come close to what you’ve experienced in your long life. And most of all, you’re a dragon.”

I smirked, and Mordian looked at me with a knowing look on his face.

“Let’s go,” I ushered for Mordian to follow as I entered the portal, as the energy of the distortion in the space wrapped around me and ushered me forward, Mordian followed in my wake.