After resting for an hour or two, or instead my body refusing to move at all, from the accumulated fatigue and damage it had undergone after my reckless manipulation of spellcasting numerous complex spells as well as the process of refining my mana and breaking through to the next rank, pushing my body near the very edge, it had taken a while for my body to completely heal itself from the damage thanks to my passive ability to regenerate any physical wounds.
Considering how awfully I was beaten by the cephtalurian’s chief, plus its tribe, the amount of bones I had gotten broken in this battle alone would have left a person crippled in bed for weeks, so it was right that I allowed myself to rest for the time being, even if it was a few hours. I was able to heal any physical damage done to me with ease, but the mental strain and the fatigue shrouding my mind needed time to heal itself. But for using Ruler’s Authority it was a different matter, it was just like last time.
The time limit in which I was able to use the skill had left me vulnerable and intoxicated, it was akin to wielding a double-edged sword. Effective but hard to control, which severely effected my mind like poison.
And I had indeed almost lost myself to the strength that the skill brought me; as well as enhancing and sharpening my control over mana as well as the ability to perceive it. And taking the factor that I was also somehow—god knows how—able to subconsciously influence demonic energy, even if I wasn’t a demon. But, it had indeed left a strong toll over my mind this time—considering this was the first time I had kept it activated for an extended period of time, unlike back in the basilisk dungeon, where I used the skill in short intervals of a few minutes—, as well as body to keep the skill’s effects on the bare surface, to retain a part of my sanity to think right from wrong and keep the strong malevolent impulses of my thoughts subdued, albeit barely.
My face twisted into a pained frown as I placed a hand over the left side my face. My head still throbbed from the vertigo of witnessing so many of Jiwoo’s memories at once and in clear display, like they were my own. It was like witnessing a harsh tornado of memories—like witnessing them through a kaleidoscope—swirling inside my mind, threatening to break me down.
Right now I felt tired, complicated as well as apprehensive of what I had witnessed—when trying to reject and deactivate Ruler’s Authority—of this boy's past, what life he had led so far and what things he had gone through. It wasn’t all too good of an experience.
Even Jiwoo has had his fair share of bad experiences in life.
I felt a grimace catch up to my face as I moved through the air with a harsh rustling which stroked my ears slightly.
A light breeze kissed my skin as I maneuvered my body mid-air and dodged a thick branch jutting from the side of a tree, as I moved with ease through the air. After my successful breakthrough to the rank, I had finally obtained the ability to fly again, which I had yearned for. And to perform the act of flying no amount of my mana was necessary as the atmospheric particles made way for me as I levitated through the air just by influencing them through my stronger and more integrated control and dominance I could now assert, unlike if I tried before when I was on the rank, using the wind element to allow me to levitate through the air, it would have left me drained of my reserves in a very short period of time, which also aroused the biggest issue of focusing my mana to an extreme level so I could fly and keep my body steady through the air without dropping face first to the ground.
But currently my mind was dwelling over the memories and course of history I have had a recollection of just a while ago. I deliberately let a long sigh roll out of me as I felt many complicated emotions stir inside my heart, making me feel apprehensive and sombre, causing some melancholy to nudge at my heart and mind.
‘Jihye...’ I mused with a grimace. Out of all the memories, the one where Jihye had fought with Jiwoo had felt the most heart breaking to me, which still left a bad taste in the back my mouth whenever I tried to remember it.
That gaze which she had directed at me...
The past was still just the past. Even if I wanted to reject or deny it, it wouldn’t change or alter the fact that something like that had happened.
But I felt like some parts of the memories were omitted on purpose—due to someone’s interference or for some reason entirely different—, like the part where a dungeon break had occurred which I had seen before. It felt like I had only seen one side of the picture, and the other was still hidden by a veil.
After witnessing the memories which I guess were dormant inside of me since my regression, I felt complex and strange in a way I couldn’t describe. Like I had been the one to live through those memories, that past, but not at the same time as they were projected to me. Those weren’t my memories, yet felt as if they’d merged with my own now and had undeniable become a part of me which was necessary for me to accept this new body—new life. I’d somehow felt more comfortable with my body and more in sync now after experiencing those memories.
But my heart felt warm, then shifted to a frigid cold, as I remembered the face of Jiwoo’s parents. They were kind and protective people, and I guess they really loved their children. Who wouldn’t love their own child? Even Master had shown me so much love and care even if I was adopted and not his blood-related.
I snickered as I felt a curse forming inside my mouth, directed at no one but myself. I had taken one of their child’s life and the other, now fighting for her own.
But this was life. These complications made us who we were. These hard times moulded us into a stronger and firmer person to deal with the sorrow and pain.
But to pull my mind away from these melancholic thoughts, I searched for something different to ponder and keep my mind busy over and my mind almost in no time focused on that cryptic event of that battlefield which had left me confused and contemplative.
The more I thought about that final strange message, where I witnessed a gore battlefield and those two blurry individuals whose feature weren’t shown to me even now, except for this time, a third one was shown to me, unlike last time I had witnessed it.
The image of that wheat blonde haired man’s face was etched into my mind, his face still left me in a state of awe and trance, his face looked something otherworldly and egnamtic, and the more I thought about them the more curious and pensive I became.
But the think which struck me with a questioning contemplation out of all, were his two sublime golden eyes which had an iridescent quality to them. As they radiated with power and authority.
‘And the things those two talked about in that memory,' I bemused, taking my time to understand the meaning behind the mysterious man’s words.
“Hope that is yet far and distant...” I repeated the words he had spoken in that recollection as my brows furrowed in thought. "I hope my descendent does what I couldn’t.” I took a deep breath as I felt slightly annoyed as I felt even more lost the more I thought about it.
Just what were those two talking about, and who was this descendent he so spoke of?
That memories was separate from Jiwoo’s. It was something which was random, but I felt it held some deeper and more intricate meaning which might help me answer some question I have.
But before that, I needed to understand the question itself in order to decipher the mystery, just what was this memory trying to tell me, just what was it trying to show me through that battlefield and those tragedies as well as people there, before looking for the answer. It was similar to having the answer given to you, but not knowing the right question to align it with to know the true meaning behind it.
And the two other individuals, whose eyes that I was barely able to see this time. I felt goosebumps rise around my body as I remembered the moment I had been able to lay eyes on them.
One were like the starry night sky which looked like the galaxy itself, having a sharpness and wisdom which transcended this world, and the other pair a harsh and malevolent darkness which seemed to devour and destroy anything standing in it’s path; like an abyss.
My mind stirred and I felt nauseous all of a sudden as I tried to relax myself and push my thoughts away for the time being. My fatigue still hasn’t completed disappeared, and I still needed to take care of the thinks here before leaving.
And I would have all the time I need in order to sort these memories and messages out, together with these complicated emotions. I thought as I saw a bright sapphire light radiate life from a few hundred metres away, which seemed to envelope the area in its ethereal sheen, making a comforting display.
Soon I realised that I was close to the place where the relic tree was situated. The place looked completely different from the desolate forest which was spread through miles.
The crystalline tree pulsed as I drew near its trunk which seemed to hold so much mana even after I had taken a good amount of its reserve when breaking through and assimilating it with my body. The air felt rich and dense as each breath felt comforting, leaving me soothed of the pain and weariness.
My eyes followed the deformed land which had been torn apart with several craters which dug deep over it. In one such, I saw the deformed and mutilated body of the cephtalurian chief had sank.
I landed from my flight as my feet touched the grassland. The blades of grass crunched behind my feet as I walked closer to the crumbled edge of the land near the water body.
I took in a deep breath as I nudged the system interface and soon after it jolted to life in front of me in the form of a window.
I looked through the trial information and now the rewards I had gained after killing the cephtalurian chief. The window from in front of me gleamed.
__________
【Dungeon Trial】
[Quest]: Hunt the Chief of the Cephtalurians / [Trial Cleared]
[Reward]: 〔X10〕Level Increase; 〔X10〕Additional All Stats Increase;〔X1000〕Points; ???; ???.
[???]: 〔???〕
__________
Soon after I laid eyes on the generated information I felt warmth envelope my body as I felt soothed in each part of my body, as the accumulated fatigue slightly disappeared.
I clenched and unclenched my fist as I searched inward and felt for my increased strength. My mana grown thrice the amount of when I was on the
But I didn’t rejoice this time, or I couldn’t. Instead an impassive mask of stoicism covered my face as I felt conflicted. This trial had made me severely realise my standing. I still had many shortcomings which I needed to work on, as well as learning to use my skills and abilities to their fullest. Now that I had reached the rank, my strength had reached the threshold of power which can help me in my future endeavours, as well as the limits over me which might have held me back from utilising my abilities to their outmost. But I needed to at least reach the strength of the demon king as fast as I could. That absolute and insurmountable strength which no one could have dared to rival, I had barely reached it in my past life, and seen that unclimbable wall which held us back, but it still wasn’t enough.
I felt a grimace arch across my face as I bit the inside of my cheek. Just because I reached the rank and now having grown stronger than most hunters wasn’t something to rejoice about, at least for me.
The pinnacle of power I had gotten a taste of was something that no one amongst the humans were able to come close to. But I knew that if I'm somehow able to reach the
But the question arouse that ‘if’ I am able to reach that strength, faster than the demons invading earth. And it had taken them a few years to do so.
But I don’t know in this life. Things were happening faster, and differently. There are many variables that even I don’t know about when I was no earth.
Could my interference have caused this? I thought with a deep pondering expression.
There could be a possibility. And even Laurena had warned me to not change or meddle with the course of the future to much. The seer that could see the past, present and future, but could only convey in riddles. Or it could bring forth some catastrophe.
I looked at the reward window sparkle as I looked at the reward information again, and the places which were omitted previously were now show in clear display.
I quickly tore my gaze away from the reward window and moved it towards the interface and I was left dumbfounded as I laid eyes on my increased stats and...
What...?? I thought as I laid eyes on my skills with knitted brows. Just how? They were...
----
----
NAME: SEO JIWOO (???)
HP: 52970
LEVEL: 111
STRENGTH: 175
STAMINA: 181
AGILITY: 172
VITALITY: 174
INTELLIGENCE: 145
MP: 64990
POINTS: 6190
_____________
FATIGUE: 23
_____________
【PASSIVE SKILLS】
[PERSEVERANCE] [LV. 5]
[PROFESSION]: [Swordsmanship] [LV: 5]
[Crescent Moon Style] : [First Movement: Moon Split]
[Regeneration] [LV: 3]
[Pain Resistance] [LV: 3]
[Poison Resistance] [LV: 1]
_____________
【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.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
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 55%]
–MIND’S EYE (Sealed) (Unlocked: 70% )
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%]
______________
----
----
I was left flabbergasted as I saw my skills.
Acausality had ranked up and had now reached the rank and its cool down had shortened to only two days. I felt a breath leave in a rush as several thoughts and questions formed inside my mind.
Just why did this skill rank up in the first place? Did it mean I could use it more easily now that its rank had gone up and cool down shortened.
I don’t think that’s the case. I added after a moment with arms crossed. The cool down may have shortened but the way the skill worked shouldn’t have changed even so much.
All it would do was allow me to separate from the physical realm and keep the world static.
Soon after my eyes laid on the different changes which had occurred to my stats and skills.
And out of all of them, I felt a rush of excitement and relief as I laid eyes on Leap, the cool down over it had disappeared now. When I had first gotten the skill back, it had a three hour cool down but now it was gone. Plus the sealed icon shown beside the skill had also disappeared.
Does that mean the skill in now released from some seal placed over it? I thought with a contemplative frown playing over my brows.
But I always thought over the reason as to why was there a cool down on it in the first place. In the past there was none. But when I had gotten it back thanks to the ‘returnee’s privilege’ it had a cool down which obstructed my use of the paths with an interval.
But I guess there must have been some reason for it. I can think of a few, but that doesn’t matter right now. All that mattered now was that I had received full control over one of my abilities.
And most of all, I could use the paths without an restriction in between now. But that depended on how many times I could use the paths with the reserves I have.
Plus my synchronisation had increased too, but my eyes followed down to the last of the interface section and I saw something peculiar written there.
The place which was still hidden and omitted, which I still didn’t completely understand the meaning behind, had some percentage displayed on it now.
Seriously, I was more annoyed by these cryptic stuff than all the other shenanigans happening to me.
But suddenly another window opened in front of me as I snapped my head slightly to my right.
__________
【 Additional Rewards】
[Perseverance] [LV. 5] ---> [ Perseverance] [LV.Max]
[Regeneration] [LV. 3] ---> [Regeneration] [LV. 4]
[Pain Resistance] [LV. 3] ---> [Pain Resistance] [LV. 4]
[Poison Resistance] [LV. 1] ---> [Poison Resistance] [LV. 3]
[Profession]: [Swordsmanship] [LV. MAX]
__________
With a dim light as the interface gleamed again, the level of all of my passive skills increased.
“Wow, I gotta say, the system is being overly generous today,” I said with a grin. “You aren’t trying to gain my favour after so much shit you have done to me, huh.” I said pointing my gaze at the interface afloat in front of me, like I was speaking to a living being.
But from in front of me, I saw the relic tree pulse with an egnamtic light which seemed to drown the entire area from hundreds of meters away.
I held a hand up to cover my eyes with it as the mana in the air rippled and shimmered and a moment later I saw the tree hum as the small boulder sized flowers on its thick branches began to wheeze and bloom as the area around them was sprinkled by visible motes of light which danced in the air like fireflies.
I waved away the windows in front of me as they vanished.
My feet left the ground as I flew in the air, gravity no longer held me, as I rose in the air and zoomed closer to the flower which gleamed and pulsed more strongly with mana.
I searched the mana bound to them and it held a very dense amount, the energy moved through the braches and spread into the land and air which made the earth bloom with life.
The petals bloomed, as they moved like they were living creatures as they pushed outright and opened with a slight creaking noise, creating a pot like body with a round shaped core like thing in between which radiated pure light with a small opening on the top of it.
I reached near it and saw that some dense liquid was filling the opening, which had a slight sapphire colour but looked like normal water.
“Could this be?” I said with surprise laced in my tone. I brought both hands forward, and took the liquid in my palms and brought it close to my mouth and drank it.
The moment I drank the elixir naturally created by the relic tree, I felt my body release the tension and fatigue which had held a tight grasp over me.
The same system message I had seen several days ago appeared to my eyes as I took another handful of the elixir and drank it.
After drinking a good amount I sat on one of the branches of the relic tree, taking a seat near the blooming flowers.
This potion was indeed the best think I could have found here. And it’s healing effects as well as the ability to heal fatigue and mana was outstanding. And it could be a pretty good asset for me in my journey ahead.
So I made up my mind and withdrew several empty flasks from the inside of my inventory.
I snapped my head around and saw that the other flowers were blooming as they shined with life and held the elixir inside them, working like a pot.
I took a flask in my hand and took its lid off.
One after another, I started to fill up all of the flasks I had empty. After a thorough process of filling all of the flasks I had, I stored them inside the inventory.
The amount I had stored was enough to fill up an entire small crate. But I had to admit that the elixir itself was a very rare and pure supplement which could easily sell for hundreds of millions if it could be introduced to the market.
But I didn’t have any thoughts of selling it, not that I can go back home right away. Because if something like this was released into the market it would cause a ruckus and fights for its demand and ownership, as well as cause a fight between the conglomerates which produce potions to try to copy the recipe to create something as close to this elixir. Because that would be a shame. But it was an item which might be useful for a certain someone in her research if I was able to give it to her.
Afterwards my arm reached near the petal itself and instead of a sharp and sturdy surface, what I touched was a soft and comfortable surface which was like any flower petal I could have found anywhere.
I tore a petal and placed it inside my mouth and began to chew on it. It had a plain flavour, similar to a mint and bitter like lemon, but it tasted good the more I chewed, filing my mouth with a fragrant smell.
I tore a few more petals and looked at them keenly, before I stored them inside the system inventory.
But just as I did, a window popped open in front of me as I saw the generated information over it in flabbergast.
_________
【CONGRATULATIONS】
The Host has acquired the fist ingredient for the creation of the Elixir of Life.
–A potent elixir of unparalleled potency and essence, capable of mending the greatest of afflictions, be it any severe wound or any incurable disease. As long as the person consuming it is alive, it can rejuvenate almost any wounds or severe conditions.
__________
_______
【 The Elixir of Life】
[Ingredients]:
–Evernight Orchid petal [X 5] [Acquired]
–??? [X 0] [Not Acquired]
–??? [X 0] [Not Acquired]
–??? [X 0] [Not Acquired]
__________
I felt my brows knit as I saw the window.
Huh? Elixir of life? Evernight orchid?
I felt a thoughtful expression envelope my face as I kept pondering over this new development for several minutes.
Wait, so this elixir which the system mentioned, can heal any condition and ailment, so it might also be able to treat Jihye’s cold sleep.
And the name suggested that this evernight petal was one of the many ingredient for its creation. Does that mean there are other ingredients which need to be found before I am able to make the potion itself.
I felt a spark of hope lit inside me as I thought of Jihye. She can be saved.
If I can make this elixir, then Jihye can recover. The suffering she is going through can disappear. It was the slightest bit of hope but that small hope was all what I needed, that I could help Jihye, I could save her.
But I needed the find the other ingredients first. I thought as my gaze landed back at the window afloat in the air.
There were three more ingredients needed for the creation of this all-healing elixir, but they were obscured which was a problem for me.
Right now, all I could do was trust the system that it would help me somehow to acquire the rest of the ingredients like it had done today. The system indeed helped in mysterious ways, but at the end of the day, it did everything to help me.
Aside from that I had no idea where to find these other ingredients, or what they even were or what they looked like. But I guess I needed to move forward and clear as many trials as I can in order to find the rest of the ingredients.
“Its fine. There no need to rush and overthink things. I can’t acquire all of the ingredients at once, but just having one in my possession currently is enough. I might get the others as I move forward.” I said with a more resolute expression over my face.
***
I maneuvered through the thick and dark forest as my ripped clothes fluttered through the wind produced by my flight as I reached near the thalassalithion's territory.
After taking a good amount of the evernight petals as well as the elixir produced by the relic tree, I was making my way back to the thalassalithion tribe.
I had only taken an amount which was considerable and more than enough for me, and left the rest. In the end, the thalassalithions would also need them as well.
I might have killed a considerable amount of the cephtalurians tribe members when I had gone out of control but I guess there might be many of them still out there.
Mind’s Eye flared to life as the burning particles afloat in the air appeared to my eyes. I focused my gaze and a subtle distortion in the space in front of me appeared palpably to my vision.
After my synchronisation had gone up, the seal over Mind’s Eye had been removed up to seventy percent, so my perception of the mana through the naked eye had increased several folds, and I could also feel the very subtle and slight shift in the ambient mana around the barrier now, through my heightened and integrated senses.
And the biggest issue that still made me anxious was that there was no portal which could allow me to leave this place. I had searched the entire vicinity around the relic tree, as well as retraced my steps and went back to the place where I had first arrived here from, but the portal was nowhere to be found.
Soon I landed on to the ground and came close to the barrier. I searched for the opening and quickly found it.
Instead of just walking into it, a thought struck. It could be a good moment to test my new control over mana.
I searched the mana which held the barrier, a subtle and barely perceivable shift through which the mana was filtered and moved in a way to not look suspicious. The inconsistencies I had found amongst the barrier, when inspecting it before.
With a breath, I influenced the mana which was bound to the barrier placed over this place, and moved my hand in a straight slash, as if severing the connection between the naturally pure mana which held the barrier and the atmospheric mana.
It took a great deal of concentration for me do so, but the connection dissolved as the space from in front of me cracked, as if fissures running along the surface of glass, as a cracking noise reverberated in the surrounding.
Without wasting a moment, the mana which held the barrier crumbled away as if it couldn’t find a place to move through as it became stagnant.
A hollow cavity appeared in the barrier as the opening expanded further until it tore open to accommodate enough for a single person to pass through it.
There was harsh spike in the mana around me as the rough distortion shook the air and made the earth to quake slightly. My eyes slightly caught sight of the demonic energy moving in an irregular set of movements, but it tried to accommodate itself by the high spike in the mana around it.
‘Like some duality.’ I thought but didn’t pour much mind to it.
I stepped forward and entered the opening, which now connected the two territories together.
It was like passing through a door.
With this I was sure, my control over mana had grown past the point that I can manipulate the pure state it was in to some extent.
But ultimately, it my own mana and control which allowed me to take control over the pure ambient mana.
My brows jumped in surprise as I felt several mana signature flare from a few meters away. My eyes followed to where I found several thalassalithions standing, fangs bared, weapons made of pure mana shimmered and rippled and mundane ones prepared in their hands to engage in battle any minute.
The barrier’s opening began to stich itself close as the mana moved and the cavity filled itself before disappearing as if there was nothing there in the first place.
But I stretched my senses as I felt some distortion in the air hundreds of meters away.
“I come in peace.” I said with my jaw eased and a slight smile over my face, as I rose my hands in a defensive stance.
From among the several thalassalithions which kept a hostile sneer directed at me, looking at me with as much apprehension and wariness as they could, I finally caught sight of Uito walking forward, Rito—the young behind him a few steps.
“Jiwoo.” He said as I walked toward him, ignoring the others pointing their weapons and hostile gazes at me. There was some complicated emotion over his face.
“What?” I voiced. “Not glad to see me again, huh, old Uito.”
The old thalassalithion smiled as he waved for the others to put their weapons down.
The weapons made of mana shimmered and dimmed as the rest put their weapons away, but kept their guards up.
***
I slowly walked to the middle of the tribe in step with Uito and a few others moving behind us, maintaining some distance from us. Their mana working if they needed to jump into battle any moment.
“I sense that Jiwoo has become even stronger, since the last time I saw.” Uito said with awe and surprise laced in his voice. “Does that mean Jiwoo won?” His sapphire eyes shined in question.
“Well, the reason I’m here and walking with you means I did, didn’t I.” I jabbed with a fresh expression over my face.
Uito’s face brightened as I replied.
“But like how you'd warned, their Chief was indeed tricky to deal with.”
Uito nodded his head in understanding as we walked forward.
‘And what I had done afterwards to the cephtalurians when I went out of control.’ I thought with my brows knitted.
Soon after we had reached his hut and we both entered. The inside was the same, but I saw a familiar head bob in my direction.
“So you lived?” I asked with sarcasm laced in each word as I directed my gaze toward Runda.
Runda sneered and shot me a hostile glare as she stood upright and leaned against the side of the hut's farther edge.
She kept quiet as our battle of gazes continued for a second or two until I pulled away with a shrug.
“Oy, I know you can speak.” I said.
“Good to see, that you are not eaten by those wretches. I hoped you had.”
I saw a wry smirk arching the thalassalithion’s face as she scoffed.
“Well unfortunately, I wasn’t poisoned as miserably as someone, to be rendered useless.”
Her face twisted further as she tried to stand and sneer but the wound on her shoulder made her unable to.
“Jiwoo, you have something you need to tell us if you came back.”
I turned to look at Uito and nodded my head quickly.
Without wasting a moment, I brought my forehead close to his and made contact.
I had thought about this in the last few days, and came to the conclusion that if I was able to precisely match the thalassalithion's mana’s wavelength, then I could also be able to show and share my memories with them.
And it will be a hassle to explain everything to them from start.
Just as our foreheads touched, my mana worked as I sent a wave of it toward Uito. Unlike the thalassalithions, it took me a minute or two to establish a stable connection, but Uito helped in that as well as he opened his mind to me.
When our minds were connected, I sent a wave of my mana into his, and in the form of transmitting a part of my memories to him.
I released one memory at a time. The transmission wasn’t smooth at first but after a few more tries, I got the hang of it.
Slowly I showed Uito everything. From the start of my fight with the cephtalurians, to the point where I had lost myself for a moment under the effects of Ruler’s Authority, how I’d broken through and afterwards caused the massacre against the cephtalurians tribe, and finally reaching the end when I had found the relic tree in full bloom.
Due to my inconsistent control, I felt my other thoughts being shared to Uito as well. It was a very precise control of mana which allowed the transmission of such memories, which I lacked, unlike the thalassalithions who could release their memories with relative ease.
I pulled away and Uito made a flabbergasted expression. His lips parted as he tried to say something, but held back.
There was a thoughtful frown over his face as he looked at me.
I gazed into his glowing eyes and spoke. “The elixir was still held in the tree’s flowers. And the threat of the cephtalurians might have lowered after, ahh, you know what. So you guys can go and retrieve it."
Uito nodded his head in understanding, as I saw Runda make a confused frown.
I withdrew a flask from the inside of my inventory and threw it in Runda’s direction. She made a surprised blank expression, tinged with confusion as she saw the contents within.
She nodded back at me, with a slightly thankful expression, which I could never have expected.
Now my main problem was finding the portal.
“Jiwoo, there is something I need to show Jiwoo as well." Uito said suddenly.
But instead of saying anything or showing me through his mind, Uito left the hut together with me and walked to the farthest edge of the tribe. I followed him in silence, but I felt the same fluctuations around me when I had first entered the tribe. We walked for about twenty more minutes, then he stopped.
It was deep into the tribe and in a wide grassland, the portal that I had been looking for now stood in front of me as it sent ripples through the air.
“It appeared here suddenly and has been humming since then. I didn’t allow anyone to go near it, but I thought that it might be something that has something to do with Jiwoo’s arrival here.”
I saw the oval portal hum as the space close to it distorted and cracked. I looked at Uito and he made a sly grin.
I guess he had seen through my thoughts that I was looking for the portal.
I walked closer to it as my clothes and hair fluttered through the slight breeze moving past me.
“Then I was right.” Uito said from behind me. “This means goodbye.” He added with a somewhat melancholic tone as his eyes softened.
I spun and caught Uito’s gaze, he looked back and extended his arm toward me.
I smiled brightly, then took a step forward and couldn’t help but give the old thalassalithion a big hug.
Uito, caught of guard, composed himself quickly and patted my back a few times.
I tore away from him and with a final nod walked back in the direction of the portal.
“Thanks for everything, Uito. Thanks to you I might have been able to realize some things I need to still work and improve.” I said as I turned to look at him one last time with a sense of respect present in my tone.
“Take care of yourself and the others." I finished, as I shot him a wink looking back over my shoulder.
“You too. Jiwoo. It was an honour to meet someone such as you and share my mind with you. I hope you are successful in your journey."
With those final shared words, I stepped into the portal and vanished.