Chapter 196 Gaze of Hatred & Karmic God Shani
After discussing some doubts he had about the fire element, Leon decided to go to the library and choose a technique for him. The insights Miss Freya provided were really helpful for him and he could feel her control with the fire element far surpassed his own. Even though he was chosen by Apollo, just like other gods Apollo didn't interfere much with his avatar. He wanted to nurture Leon to perfection, and spoon feeding him wasn't going to be helpful in the vision he had for him. This is why even though Leon already received Apollo's blessings and legacy, mastering them was his own task.
'She really deserves to be a genius.' Leon thought, as he looked at the graceful back of Miss Freya walking forward.
'With her help I can learn about the elemental magic and increase my mastery over them. With the sword technique I found, it is enough for me for now, what I lack is in the ranged attacks. Since God Apollo was an archer, should I find an archery technique?'
Leon wondered as he contemplated what kind of technique he should look for. With his halo and adventures, he had already found a sword technique and some blessings that can help his mana recovery rate. This he decided to look for archery techniques. The more he thought, the more his decision seemed like a good one to him.
"You can go on the first floor to look for your technique and come back here to report it." Miss Freya said as they reached the library. She wasn't in a hurry, so she decided to talk with the elder incharge of the library before leaving. But as soon as she entered the building, she felt something and looked upwards. She could feel the mana that was gathering on the first floor.
She was surprised to see that, since the use of skills and blessings was restricted in the great library. She only thought that some new student used some skill unknowingly and the floor protectors or the other staff of the library would address the issue. However, what happened next exceeded her expectations.
A deafening scream echoed through the library, shattering the silence. She furrowed her brows, as her pupils turned white. With heightened perception, she could now see past the walls and the shelves. And as she did, she found a man writhing on the ground, with blood leaking from his eyes.
"St-stop it. Save me, someone!" The man cried out in pain again.
Without wasting a moment, Miss Freya transformed into a stream of air, vanishing from her spot. Her swift movement was not without notice, as other library staff also felt the disturbance and began converging on the first floor.
When she reached the first floor, a sudden cold wind hit her, but she ignored it and moved towards the place where the commotion was happening.
On the first floor, after seeing the elven girl standing there, with the same face and features as Shweta, all the control Rio had over his emotions and himself was let loose. The feeling of loss and betrayal he remembered after seeing her again, became the fuel that made his mana run amok.
Gaze of hatred, the blessing given by the karmic god of Hindu Pantheon Shani, automatically came into effect with his feelings and started to affect everyone around him.
[Calm down host. You're losing control.]
[Think of everything you planned, stop your madness, or that'll all be ruined.]
System was constantly issuing alerts and warnings, but his mind paid no heed to them. His eyes now covered in the shadowy smoke gleamed dangerously, as he looked at her face. Jaesin, the elven guard who dared to interfere without any knowledge bore the full brunt of his blessing and felt the deep seated hatred of Rio, which was enough to have him beg for mercy in a matter of moments.
"What do you want, Shweta?" Rio said, as he looked back at the girl whose one appearance was enough to scratch open all his past wounds.
"Who are you?" Saisha said, as she looked at the white haired boy with puzzled eyes. Her eyes, dark as a moonless night, were locked onto his.
The blessing, the mana, the cold ice that started to cover everything, none of it affected her, or more like none of it mattered to her. She was too lost in those eyes. A familiar feeling like she never felt before, was keeping her hooked, as she tried hard to remember why she felt like that.
'Who was he? Why was he looking at her like that? Why did he cry when he looked at her? Who was this Shweta that he spoke of?' Everything was so confusing for her, as she didn't know what to do or feel anymore, so she just asked him.
"So you don't _ " Rio was saying something, when an oppressive pressure as high as a mountain fell on his shoulders.
Two staff members pressed their hands onto his shoulders, forcing him to bend under the tremendous weight. Blood spurted from his mouth, and he struggled to withstand the pain.
"Nooo!'' A scream escaped Saisha's mouth as she looked at him. For a moment her own mana started to channel automatically, making her confused at why she did that.
Miss Freya also came that moment, her elemental mana surging in response to the disturbance.The icy grip that had begun to encase the surroundings yielded to her power, melting and evaporating into nothingness.
The students around them retreated further and left the area in a hurry. One of the staff took Jaesin away and fed him a healing pill.
While some more staff members gathered around Rio, whose body started to emit a dark fog that started to erode the floor below him. The sinister, shadowy smoke wreathed around him, and his eyes gleamed with a menacing light. The staff raised the pressure on him, and soon he was forced to fall down on the ground.
The floor started to crack and crumble in layers with the erosion of darkness. Yet the golden runes which shimmered in between made it revert back to the way it was next instant.
"Stop it, student." One of the assistant professors said, as he tapped on Rio's shoulders and back to seal his mana veins and stop this madness.
{Stop this nonsense human} Nyx said to Rio, when he tried to use her blessing to control the darkness.
[Don't do it SK please.] The system too chimed in, its tone filled with worry and impatience.
System knew Rio would lose it the moment it saw Saisha's face. After all, it had seen all his memories and feelings, it understood him perfectly.
Yet it could do nothing to help him now. So it could just curse 'That Being' for reincarnating another girl from his past into this world. There was no one else who could've done this, and seeing the gifts he sent for its host in the beginning, which now started to shine - system even had an inkling of feeling of what it held within.
'What the hell does he want to do? Did he finally go insane from watching everything fall apart.' It wondered, but there was nothing it could do. 'That Being' didn't speak or say anything, and the system had no way to talk to him.
Amelia along with Rebecca came there after seeing the commotion and passing through the crowd of students who surrounded everything. Seeing Rio pressed on the floor and hurt, made both of them concerned and confused.
"Brother" Amelia said and stepped forward to save him, when Rebecca held him back. "He's not himself."
"Leave it, Becca." Instead of talking reason with her, Amelia just gave her a stern glance, which was enough to tell her that if you don't let go, I will fight you here and now.
Getting free, Amelia stepped forward to walk past the circle of staff, whose hands seemed frozen as the space around them seemed to crack and getting crushed.
Miss Freya came forward to stop her, and stop the staff who were ready to handle Amelia too. She never thought two of her own students would actually be stupid enough to act out openly and break the rules set by the academy.
"Stop it, you two." She said sternly, as she went forward and stood between the staff before a conflict started again. "Rio, cease this immediately. Or be ready for the punishment."
"Brother, please stop it." Amelia pleaded, her voice filled with worry.
[Host, calm yourself. Things are getting out of hand here.]
Hearing the constant reminders from everyone, Rio finally closed his eyes, silencing the turmoil within him. He stopped his blessings. The next moment his mana was successfully sealed by the staff and the darkness around him finally faded away. And the library returned to its previous state of tranquility once more.
"You can release me now." Rio said, his gaze shifting upwards.
The assistant professor looked at Miss Freya and when she nodded her head, he let go of him.
Then without answering anyone or saying anything, Rio took a final glance at the elven girl and left the library. The students around made space for him, as they all moved out of the way. "It was my fault, Miss Freya. You are free to determine any punishment you see fit."
He departed the scene, leaving a crowd of stunned students in his wake. Amelia, Rebecca, and Ayla moved to follow him, but Leon vanished from sight once he was beyond the library's grounds.
"You all can stop staring and choose a technique for yourself. You're only wasting your own time." Miss Freya's stern voice cut through the lingering shock, dispersing the students who remained in a daze.
"Take him to the infirmary." She said looking at Jaesin, who was still trembling, even though he seemed unconscious now.
'That blessing, those eyes - why did it have to be him.' Miss Freya pondered, as she remembered Rio's eyes and the feeling she got from coming near him.
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A/N - next chapter is where you see his talks with the system and learn some answers.
A/N - next chapter is where you see his talks with the system and learn some answers.
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