Chapter 212 - 211 : Rest
Arthur dropped down from Yuna’s shoulder the moment he saw black.
He pointed up.
"You useless bird!" Arthur yelled. "Where were you all this time while I was risking my ass surviving?!"
Black’s wings paused mid-beat.
"I sent you to clear a trial, not go on vacation," Arthur continued. "How did you evolve so quickly?!"
A vein practically popped on Black’s small feathered head.
The Blazewing Raven snapped his beak open.
A small fireball shot straight down toward Arthur.
Arthur barely dodged, stumbling to the side as the fireball scorched the ground where he’d been standing.
"Oi!" Arthur shouted. "You trying to roast me?!"
Black hovered, feathers ruffled.
"Caw! Caw caw! Ca ca caw!" the raven cried, his voice loud and sharp.
Arthur’s eye twitched.
He understood him.
"How dare you call me a bastard," Arthur said, flustered. "I wasn’t sacrificing you to the trial, okay?! I was—I was..."
He scrambled for an excuse.
"Yeah," Arthur said quickly. "I sent you away to train. See? You even evol—"
Another fireball shot toward him.
Arthur threw himself aside again.
"You birdbrain!" Arthur yelled. "You think you’re something just because you can spit a little fire now?!"
He pointed accusingly.
"I’ll cook you the moment I get my hands on you!" Arthur threatened.
Black didn’t even spare him a glance.
With a sharp cry, the Blazewing Raven turned and flew toward the palace, his wings cutting through the air as though Arthur was beneath his notice.
Arthur watched him go, still cursing under his breath.
The system chimed in his mind.
[ Well, to be honest, you did kind of sacrifice him, you know. It’s obvious that bird is angry. ]
Arthur clicked his tongue.
"Whatever," Arthur said. "He’ll come back when he gets hungry."
Still, curiosity pricked at him.
"But I am curious about what kind of trial he took," Arthur added. "Guess I’ll have to read his memories later..."
Meanwhile, the elven soldiers—and Erica—had watched the entire argument between Arthur and his raven.
Erica just sighed.
She had seen similar scenes before.
The elves, however, stared at Arthur as though he were a complete idiot.
Some visibly deflated.
As if they had just lost a bit of the awe they held for him.
A blond-haired elf leaned closer to Erica, whispering nervously.
"Your Majesty," the elf said, "is Sir Arthur... alright in the head? Did the ancient tomb make him go crazy?"
Yuna’s voice drifted in from the side.
"Don’t worry," Yuna said. "He was always crazy."
She adjusted Arthur’s weight on her shoulder.
"Now let’s get going," she added.
They headed toward the palace.
───────────────
As they walked, Luna leaned close to Erica’s ear.
"Erica," Luna whispered, "that guy... he’s received Mother’s blessing."
Erica’s eyes sharpened.
She looked toward Arthur, who was busy bickering lightly with Yuna as she carried him.
"You’re right," Erica said quietly. "He’s the first human to do so."
She watched Arthur’s back.
"That means we can trust him completely," Erica added.
Arthur suddenly looked over his shoulder.
He caught Erica’s gaze.
He smiled at her.
Erica returned the smile—a small but genuine one.
Elizabeth kept her distance for now.
She walked slowly behind the group, her expression flat, crimson hair swaying with each step. Her eyes, however, remained fixed on Arthur, studying him carefully.
"He’s gotten stronger again," Elizabeth murmured under her breath. "And by a lot."
A familiar creepy smile slipped onto her face.
"Looks like killing Master has become even harder now," Elizabeth said softly. "So why... is this rush of ecstasy I feel?"
Arthur felt a chill run down his spine.
He glanced back at her and clicked his tongue.
"What’s her deal..." Arthur muttered to Yuna. "She’s become even creepier."
Yuna sighed.
"Don’t worry," Yuna said. "You’ll know soon enough."
Arthur just nodded, deciding that, for once, he didn’t want the answer right now.
───────────────
Later, inside a luxurious guest room in the elven palace, Arthur finally had a moment to himself.
After a cold shower, he sprawled across the large bed, his muscles relaxing against the soft mattress. The ceiling above him was carved with delicate elven patterns, and faint mana lights glowed in the corners of the room.
"Finally," Arthur said. "Some peace."
Yuna had told him to rest before they talked again about everything that had happened.
Arthur stared at the ceiling.
"It’s a pity," Arthur murmured, "but I’ll have to leave this place again soon."
He thought about his next destination.
"Maybe my next stop will be the academy," Arthur said. "I still have to complete the quest of letting Aiden meet his sister."
A small smile crept onto his face.
"I wonder what those guys are doing," Arthur said. "Am I even still a student at the academy...?"
He remembered the entrance exam.
The fights.
The chaos.
"Well, I did pass the entrance exam," Arthur said. "And I achieved first place. But after what I did... I doubt the headmistress will still keep me as a student."
The system replied.
[ You’ll find out when you get there. ]
Arthur snorted.
"You’re right," Arthur said. "Worrying about it is useless."
He turned his thoughts to something more exciting.
"Oh yeah," Arthur said. "I got a new blessing from the World Tree, right? Show it to me."
A window opened in his inner vision.
═══════════════════════════════════════
SS-Rank Blessing: Blessing of Yggdrasil
═══════════════════════════════════════
Effects:
• Mana Reservoir: Your maximum mana capacity is permanently increased to three times its original amount, granting an immense reserve of mana far beyond ordinary mages.
• Life Blessing: Wounds heal much faster, while poisons and curses are greatly weakened.
• Nature’s Favor: Plants and magical beasts are naturally less hostile toward you.
• Purified Soul: Greatly increases resistance to corruption, soul attacks, and mental interference.
---
Arthur stared at it.
Then laughed.
"I hit the jackpot, didn’t I?" Arthur said out loud. "Three times means..."
The system answered.
[ Yes, Host. Your mana capacity has increased. It is now 3,000,000. It was 1,000,000 before. ]
[ The damage to your soul that you sustained when you sacrificed your lifespan has also fully healed. This blessing is truly something else. ]
Arthur felt his eyes sting for a second.
"Looks like dying was worth it after all..." Arthur said, half laughing and half on the verge of tears.
[ Indeed, it was, ] the system replied. [ Even though, with the Mana Heart, we can recover 1,000 mana per second and maintain shadows like Barbatos continuously, battles where you fight at full strength will drain your mana very quickly. ]
[ This blessing will allow your shadows to keep fighting alongside you for much longer. ]
Arthur smiled.
"Good," Arthur said. "Now show me the stats for that birdbrain. Black."
Notifications appeared.
---
[ Evolution Complete! ]
[ Flame Crow → Blazewing Raven ]
Rank: E-Rank (Tier 1)
Strength: 45
Agility: 40
Intelligence: 50
[ Skill Unlocked: Fireball (E-Rank) ]
---
Arthur stared.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Arthur said. "What’s up with that bastard and his absurd growth rate?"
He squinted.
"What the hell was he doing?" Arthur asked. "Now it even shows his Intelligence..."
He smirked.
"He could take out goblins easily now, I bet."
The system responded dryly.
[ Like you’re one to talk about growth rates, Host. ]
Arthur’s mouth twitched.
"Alright," Arthur said. "It’s a good thing for us."
He rolled onto his side.
"Now let me sleep," Arthur muttered. "I’m tired as hell."
Within seconds, his eyes closed.
He slept peacefully—for a solid six hours.
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Elsewhere in the palace, inside one of the meeting rooms, Erica, Yuna, and Elizabeth sat on a sofa.
They waited.
Erica sat upright, her hands folded in her lap, her expression calm but her eyes thoughtful. Yuna lounged back with her arms crossed and one leg over the other, her gaze fixed on the door. Elizabeth sat slightly apart, her posture relaxed, her face unreadable.
Time passed.
The door finally opened.
Arthur stepped inside.
He wore casual clothes now—a simple shirt and trousers, his hair still slightly damp from the shower. His features, sharpened by recent battles and blessings, looked even more striking than before. His crimson eyes moved from face to face.
He closed the door behind him.
Then he walked toward them.
"Alright, guys," Arthur said, his voice steady. "I have a lot to tell you."
He looked at each of them.
"Otherwise," Arthur added, "we’re all going to die soon."
Yuna smirked.
"Good," Yuna said. "I also want to know, in detail, what the hell you were doing these past few weeks."
She leaned forward.
"Start talking already," Yuna said. "We’re listening."