Chapter 819 Four Pillars: Steadfast Beliefs
Not long after saying those words, a bitter smile adorned Sellifer's face as she returned her attention to the sight before them.
Seeing that, Valyr focused his sights towards the memory as well, watching the Sellifer below get into a heated argument with her parents.
Though, if one were to listen to the words being spoken, one would realize that there was no argument happening whatsoever.
Nevertheless, the topic of the conversation did not remove the frown adorning Sellifer's face, even though she was trying her best to commit all of their words into memory.
Watching the Sellifer below eventually leave her parents alone out of anger, Sellifer slowly shook her head. "To be honest, you could consider this one of the largest mistakes I've ever done in my life."
"Even though I've weathered multiple hardships and whatnot during the 50 years I spent in the military, I remained stubborn, adamant to the things that I wished to achieve."
"Sure, I was able to successfully pull off in the end. But what if I hadn't?"
At those words, Sellifer let out yet another sigh. "Even though I was already over 70 years old at the time, I let my ego get to my head. I let all of the accolades and accomplishments I've accrued throughout my life get the better of me."
While listening to Sellifer pouring out her woes, Valyr thought back to the conversation the Sellifer below had with her parents.
After telling her parents that she would pursue the path of atavism to take on a human form, Sellifer received the vehement rejection of both of them, causing her to look at them in shock.
Unsurprisingly, she asked her parents why they didn't want her to pursue atavism, to which the two looked at each other before eventually telling Sellifer something she was yearning to know throughout her life so far.
In fact, it was the same thing Sellifer mentioned to Valyr that she had no clue about at the start of the memory.
The origin of her affinity for mana.
At the moment those words left her parents' mouths, the Sellifer below went silent and made sure to commit all of the words her parents would say to her to memory.
Taking in a deep breath, her father then explained to her that they were confused at first as to why she had an affinity for the forbidden energy, even though she was a native of the Shadow Plane.
Though, by relocating to a larger settlement, they had access to greater information.
And with that, they eventually stumbled upon a discovery that even they were surprised to find out.
With a tender gaze, Sellifer's mother told her that though their bloodline was mostly that of a Shadow Serpent, a small part of their bloodline could actually be retraced to an ancestor of theirs.
An ancestor… that could make use of a corrupted form of mana.
Hearing that, Sellifer's eyes widened in disbelief as the two continued to talk about that ancestor in detail, talking about how that ancestor was actually a rare mutation that wasn't supposed to exist in the Shadow Plane.
But it did.
With that, her parents then surmised that her affinity for mana was just a mutation of the ancestor's affinity for corrupted mana, taking into consideration of her superb talent and potential as a Shadow Serpent.
And thus, a far stronger bloodline that would allow her to tap more into that ancestral blood.
At that point, Sellifer asked why they didn't want her to undergo through atavism, recalling that her parents mentioned that the ancestor was incredibly strong.
In response, her parents explained that it had something to do with the methods for atavism, telling her that her bloodline actually exceeded the minimum requirements needed to undergo atavism.
Explaining that they looked into the method while she was young, her parents emphasized that it would be an incredibly difficult endeavor for her to undergo atavism because of their unique ancestor, basically telling Sellifer that she would become a trailblazer of an unexplored path.
Being told multiple times that there were many alchemical concoctions that would allow her to exhibit her full power in human form, even magic skills that would allow her the same thing, Sellifer still remained steadfast in her beliefs.
Even with all of the talking the three of them had done, she still wanted to undergo atavism.
Whether it was stubbornness or just pure ego getting to her head, Valyr had a hunch as to what Sellifer felt at that moment.
The feeling to prove their thoughts wrong.
The feeling to prove that the impossible was actually possible.
With that, Sellifer left home and took a rest at a place far away from her parents for a few months.
Taking that time to solidify the beliefs and ideologies she had polished over the years, she eventually returned to the battlefield, entering the military world once more.
However, unlike the young private who still had qualms about killing fellow Shadow Serpents, the Sellifer at this point was a high-ranking officer that stood at the peak of Rank 5 as a Legend.
In other words, under Myth-level beings, she was nigh invincible.
Of course, it was not without reason that Sellifer returned to the world of warfare.
If anything, she had all the reason to return to the military world aside from proving her parents wrong.
After all, in the Shadow Plane, if there was one part of society that constantly explored the unknowns of the realm and trailblazed the path for others…
That part would be none other than the military.
Using her authority as a high-ranking officer, she took priority in exploring areas that hadn't been ventured yet by people in the Shadow Plane, hoping to find a clue or two in how she would be able to achieve atavism.
Watching as the sight began to speed up once more before them, Sellifer took in a deep breath before glancing at Valyr. "100 years."
"Huh?"
"100 years." Sellifer looked at him with a calm expression. "After spending 50 years in the military, I took a short break before returning to the military to spend another 100 years."
At those words, Valyr sucked in a breath of cold air.
Those at the peak of Rank 5 could live for 500 years at most. Then, if one were to break through to become a Legend, they would be able to live for roughly 800 years.
In other words, Sellifer had roughly spent a fourth of her potential life already in the memory.
Yet there was still no sign of her becoming known as the Sellifer that sat beside the young man.
Fortunately, it did not take long for the memory before them to begin slowing down again, showing Valyr and Sellifer the end of the latter's hundred year long journey in the militaristic world.
Standing in front of what looked to be a small ruined temple, the Sellifer below looked at all the other Shadow Serpents that accompanied her before telling them that she and a few others would head inside to see what it would contain.
After choosing the small group of people that would come along with her, Sellifer and her group eventually entered the small temple, making sure to stay extra vigilant at all times.
Unsurprisingly, when the temple's entrance closed in on itself the moment their group entered, a hint of panic crept up their faces.
Though, the group still forged on, gradually heading deeper and deeper into the temple itself.
Eventually, after exploring the various areas the temple had to offer, the group found themselves standing inside a large hall.
And at the center was a pedestal with a blue crystal hovering atop it.
Staring at the crystal for a bit, the group eventually let their curiosity get the better of them as they began to touch it one by one, infusing the crystal with their Shadow Energy.
Unfortunately, none of those in the group had caused a response from the crystal…
Except for Sellifer.
Weeenggg!!!
With a loud noise reverberating throughout the ruined temple, all of those that came along with Sellifer immediately disappeared from her field of vision, leaving her alone in the large hall.
Though, not long after, an apparition made out of bluish energy appeared before her.
Taking note of the bluish energy making up the apparition, Sellifer felt her heart thump as the sensation was innately familiar to her.
And it was there she knew…
That she had possibly found the path she needed to continue on her journey.
"After 100 additional years in the military, I had finally found my lifeline in the form of an inheritance," said Sellifer, giving Valyr more insight into the situation before them.
"However, unlike the other inheritances within the Shadow Plane, this inheritance was actually made by a human that had gotten stuck in the Shadow Plane."
With Valyr's eyes widening in surprise at those words, she continued. "Not wanting the path they've explored to be lost, they made the inheritance as a last-ditch effort to keep their path alive."
"And fortunately for them, I was the one to inherit their path."
At those words, Valyr returned his attention back to the sight before them, watching as the Sellifer below and the apparition began to talk about many things.
Though, just as it seemed like he would be watching the two spend a lot of time within the barren hall…
Whoosh!
Out of nowhere, the apparition had opened a rift to another place.
And surprisingly…
That place was Veldanyr.
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