Chapter 232 Chapter 52.2 - 'Reaping what you sow'
As Astron's consciousness faded into the depths of the transformative ritual, a soft, ethereal glow emanated from the necklace around his neck. The silhouette of a young girl materialized, gently rising from the pendant with a luminous presence.
Her voice, like a gentle whisper, echoed within the confines of Astron's mind.
"Why, brother? Why do you endure such pain?" she cried, her voice carrying a mixture of concern and sorrow. "I wish I could take away all your suffering, heal every wound, and shield you from the burdens you willingly bear."
Tears sparkled in her otherworldly eyes as she extended her incorporeal hands towards Astron's unconscious form. The green glow from the necklace intensified as if responding to her emotions. She gently caressed his face, her touch ethereal and filled with a deep, affectionate love.
"I have always been with you, and yet you persist in facing these trials alone," she murmured her voice a soothing melody. "Your strength is commendable, but I wish you would let me share the weight of your struggles."
As Astron lay there, vulnerable in the afterglow of the intense magical infusion, his sister continued to express her heartfelt sentiments.
"I know you seek power, but at what cost? Your pain resonates with me, and I long to ease it. You're not alone in this journey, brother. Let me be your solace."
The ambient magic within the room responded to her emotional plea, creating gentle ripples in the atmosphere.
The tears that had fallen from her eyes transformed into shimmering droplets of healing energy, each one carrying a desire to alleviate Astron's burdens.
The blood that was spilled from his mouth, the convulsing muscles, and many other scars….For each one of those scars, she shed a tear….
Her bright, ethereal eyes seemed to contain intense sorrow, but as she turned to face him, she couldn't help but smile gently.
With a soft sob, she whispered, "If only my essence could truly heal you, protect you from the harshness of this path you've chosen. But I am bound to this necklace, limited by the magical constraints that govern our existence."
She slowly hovered all around his body and then stood right in front of his face. She slowly pushed her forehead into his as she cupped his cheeks with her gentle hands.
As Astron's sister gently pressed her forehead against his, a final tear escaped her ethereal eyes. The tear, infused with a profound desire to heal, glided down her translucent cheek and dripped onto Astron's forehead. At that moment, a remarkable and unexpected event unfolded.
As the tear touched Astron's skin, a radiant pattern emerged on both of their foreheads. Astron's forehead glowed with an intricate pattern of a black crescent moon, while his sister's forehead shimmered with a pure white crescent moon. The celestial symbols seemed to intertwine, creating a connection that transcended the magical barriers separating them.
Astron's body, still immersed in the magical bath, responded to this enchanting phenomenon. The pain that had gripped him began to subside, replaced by a soothing warmth. The convulsing muscles relaxed, and the scars on his body started to glow faintly as if touched by the healing essence of the crescent moons.
His sister's eyes widened with surprise and awe, realizing that an unforeseen magic was at play. The gentle smile on her face widened, reflecting a glimmer of hope.
The magical glow on their foreheads pulsed in harmony, resonating with the essence of the tears shed and the shared connection between the two. It was as if the celestial symbols were weaving a bond that transcended their physical separation.
As the glow intensified, Astron's sister leaned in and softly whispered, "I will always be with you, brother," she vowed, her voice a gentle breeze. "In your dreams, in your moments of solitude, I will be by your side. May you find the strength you seek, and may the pain you endure lead you to a brighter future."
With those words, she closed her eyes, and one last tear rolled down her ethereal cheek. This tear, unlike the others, held a profound sense of tranquility and resolution.
As it fell, the magical glow on their foreheads reached its zenith, casting a gentle radiance throughout the room.
And then, just as it had started, her sister suddenly left his place without saying another word.
Leaving her young brother alone once again.
********
"….."
I slowly regained consciousness, the sensation of being submerged in the bath lingering. The water, once alive with vibrant magical energy, now cradled me in a calm and soothing embrace.
"Urghk-!"
Blinking, I felt disoriented, my body experiencing a strange refreshment. The intense pain that had engulfed me during the process had dissipated, replaced by a subtle warmth that permeated my being. No longer did my muscles tense involuntarily.
"Haaah….."
Taking a deep breath, I tried to piece together the recent events. And then soon, everything came into the place. I felt like my mind started working as intended immediately.
'So, it is finished.'
As the pieces of information were revealed one by one, I lowered my eyes to check my condition first.
'Good.'
And it was good. My body, which had always been my weakness, seemed to get better, even just by looks.
'My tone of skin also got a little brighter.'
My normally pale skin now was a little more colorful, as if the light had returned to me. Though it was still almost pure white, at the very least, I now looked like a healthy person just from the outside.
I cautiously attempted to stand, the renewed strength in my body catching me by surprise. As I rose from the bath, I could feel a newfound vitality coursing through me. The subtle warmth that enveloped my being hinted at the transformative effects of the ritual.
"Huh, this is... unexpected," I muttered to myself, testing the stability of my legs. The room seemed different, as if the walls themselves were pulsating with residual magical energy.
'No, wait?'
It didn't make sense for the room to suddenly change. Now that I had looked at it, I felt like I could perceive the world around me a little differently.
'What happened?'
Something was inherently different, and I could sense it.
"Ooops…."
Taking a step forward, I almost lost my balance. The surge in strength was more pronounced than I had anticipated.
"Hmm…."
My legs, accustomed to a certain level of endurance, struggled to adjust to this sudden enhancement. I quickly reached out to steady myself, my hands gripping the edge of the bath.
THUD!
And with one fast move, I exited the bath, getting rid of the water. As the cold air hit me, I shivered a little from the sensation. My already sensitive senses seemed to get a lot better now.
'So this is the effect, huh?'
There was a reason why Starbloom Essence was this expensive, and it would get a lot more expensive in the future considering the method.
Feeling a bit dirty from the magical bath, I decided to take a quick shower to clean myself. As the water cascaded down, I couldn't help but notice the changes in my body.
My muscles felt a little different, more potent than before. The enhanced strength was evident, and I couldn't help but flex my arms experimentally. The subtle changes were both fascinating and unsettling.
'This is definitely beyond what I expected.'
It was something that I couldn't expect even after considering the effect of the method. In my head, I had already made an approximate calculation as to what kind of strength I would get, but now it seemed a lot more than that.
'Something I didn't know was in the equation.'
And nothing happens without a cause. Actually, I somehow could guess the reason for that.
'It is about this body.'
Something….This body was different than others. Even though the status window didn't show it, I knew for a fact that there was something inherently different in this body.
No matter what, even Ethan wouldn't have such an increase in strength with his talent.
'Let's check the status window first.'
After covering myself with a towel and getting out of the shower, I sat on my bed, looking at the panel in front of me.
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?Name: Astron Natusalune
?Occupation: Weapon Master (level 1 --> 2)
?Talent Limit: 6 --> 7.5
?Passives:
Vengeful Bane
Bloodline Resonance
?Attributes:
? Variable Attributes:
? Strength: 3.00 --> 3.25
? Dexterity: 3.60 --> 3.90
? Agility: 3.90 --> 4.20
? Constitution: 2.85 --> 3.25
? Intuition: 4.05 --> 4.35
? Magical Power: 4.35 --> 4.65
? Mana Capacity: 3.25 --> 3.65
?Traits:
Perceptive Insight (Epic)(Unchanging)
Lunar Enigma (????) (Growth Type) (Stage 1)
Shadowborne (Legendary) (Growth Type)(Stage 1)
?Arts:
Lethal Arsenal Ascendancy (????)(%22)
?Skills:
Dash
Eyes of Hourglass
?Body Imprints:
?Bonds:
Aurora Raven (Rare)(Growth Type)
Celestalith, The Transcendent Eclipse
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As I carefully scrutinized the changes in my attributes, a sense of astonishment washed over me. The increase in strength far exceeded my initial calculations.
The variable attributes, especially agility and magical power, had undergone a more substantial enhancement than I had anticipated.
But even then, the most significant change was on the constitution part.
'It is no longer lagging behind compared to strength.'
I was not a type of strength; thus, it was acceptable for me to have a lower strength stat. But the constitution being that low wasn't something that was normal. Therefore, it was pulling me back.
But now, that was no longer the case.
'Finally.'
That meant my specific talent limit at my constitution stat had been increased differently, which corresponded to the fact that I could increase my constitution a lot more easily now. Seeing the talent limit increasing from six to seven point five, that seemed to be the case.
'But….As expected, this is not normal.'
It wasn't merely the effect of the Starbloom Essence; there was an additional factor at play, a mysterious element tied to the uniqueness of my own body.
However, that wasn't the end. There were two other very important changes.
'My Weapon Master class is increased to level 2.'
This meant my understanding of weapons increased, and I would get a lot better results while training with them.
Considering the fact that my class basically covered almost every weapon but lacked in growth speed, it was a very important and welcome fact.
After all, rather than focusing on one thing and mastering general, it had its own disadvantages. Else, it would be too overpowered.
In any case, the biggest and most important change wasn't the Weapon Master occupation but something else.
'Perceptive Insight is ranked up.'
It's a grade on the system window that went from Unique to Epic. And that was a very rare case since traits were very hard to improve if they were not a growth type.
'How come?'
Unless a very special and rare occurrence occurred, those traits would remain the same until one leaves this world, and that was like that in the game.
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Trait: Perceptive Insight
Grade: Epic
Description:
The Perceptive Insight trait has evolved to Epic, further enhancing the individual's heightened ability to observe and comprehend their surroundings with exceptional clarity and depth. Those possessing this trait now exhibit an even more acute sense of perception, allowing them to notice subtle details, patterns, and hidden aspects that often go unnoticed by others.
This evolved talent extends beyond mere observation; it grants the user an intricate understanding of the gathered information. The individual can decipher the intricate dance of mana with unparalleled precision, perceiving its subtle currents and resonances. Concepts entwined with mana once shrouded in complexity, unfold effortlessly before the user's discerning gaze.
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The moment I looked at the panel and read the details, I couldn't help but notice the reason for my increased perception of the world was actually related to my trait after all.
'Now, this is getting interesting.'
The moment mana entered the equation and my trait, I knew one thing for a fact.
'I can absorb everything.'
The knowledge is a meal for me from now on.
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