Chapter 21: Chapter 21- Freak (Part 2)
Chapter 21- Freak (Part 2)
Cipha remained silent for what felt like several minutes, simply staring at Zen as if he were some kind of alien. In fact, with what he just said, he might as well be one. Ranking up in less than a day? That was just so ridiculous and almost unheard of. People are simply not strong enough at that stage to do such a thing.
Their bodies were still adapting to the new energy coursing through it, and it was safe to say that they were getting broken down and reconstructed into a far more optimal body that fits the intense battles they will go through. Not to mention the lack of experience and battle awareness to fight so many monsters and win.
That was why, usually, awakening takes a few days even for the best of talents.
"Cipha?" Zen called for her when he noticed that she wasn’t reacting at all. ’I guess that’s a reasonable reaction to what I just said. It is ridiculous that I could do such a thing with relative ease. Tower of Athilium is a rune that should not exist.’ He thought to himself.
It broke all the norms and gave him an advantage that no other human could ever even dream of. This access to endless resources just didn’t feel right, not even to Zen himself.
’Whoever brought me back to the past and gave me this tower... They most definitely didn’t do it out of the kindness of their heart. They want something from me and whenever they reveal themselves, I have to be ready.’ He clenched his fist subtly as he fell into deep thought. This mystery was perhaps the thing that bugged him the most.
It just made him feel uneasy... Like everything was going to collapse at some point and the reality he dreamt of would turn to dust again.
"How?"
As he was like that, he heard Cipha’s voice crack through his mind. He looked up at her.
"How were you able to do that?"
"Well, it’s really hard to explain."
"I am all ears," Cipha said as she adjusted her sitting position and focused intently on Zen. He had never seen her more serious before in his life, and it almost made him nervous. However, he still sucked a deep breath and then told her everything that he did yesterday.
From the moment he walked into that world, the rabbits he killed, and the shop where he bought the weapon from. He didn’t leave many details out, but he didn’t specify several things to avoid making her suspect that he was from the future.
He knew that the time wasn’t right to tell her that kind of truth. They needed a bit more time.
Cipha listened to everything and couldn’t believe her ears. It sounded like a ridiculous lie.
"This rune... How could it even exist?" She muttered as Zen’s story came to an end. "A tower of trials that grants you access to enemies, runes, and weapons of all kinds? That is just..."
"Ridiculous? I know. I figured that out yesterday when I tried it. It is definitely powerful beyond reason. But, it is a tool I plan to use to reach my goal, and perhaps yours too." Zen said. "You said you needed power more than anything? I will grant you that power myself."
"..."
"I don’t know how long it will take for us to reach that point, but I think the Tower of Athilium will cut it short quite a bit."
"Yeah..." Cipha replied. "This is something I didn’t expect at all and it... It changes a lot of things."
Her entire plan was based on her predictions of how fast she and her team would progress in the future. She never thought Zen would be as much of an anomaly as he turned out to be.
’No, not just an anomaly... This person... He might truly be one of a kind.’ She stared at him in a daze. This rather average young man... Nobody would think he would possess the strongest rune to ever exist.
’I need to change a lot of things.’
"Can you show me this rune later when we land?" Cipha asked. "I must see it with my own eyes."
"Of course. I don’t know if I can let other people in, but I will show you." He said.
"Thank you," Cipha said as she fell into deep thought. Then, she quickly pulled her computer out and started typing on it. Zen could tell that she was rethinking everything. But the look of excitement and hope was visible within her eyes.
’Seeing her more motivated than ever... It’s always so nice to see.’ He smiled faintly. ’I can’t let her down... Not again. I will fulfill her wish.’
This was his oath. To help his wife and to make sure she survives and succeeds. That is his lifetime goal, and whenever he achieves it, his guilt will finally disappear.
’Speaking of runes. I haven’t really checked what I got for ranking up. Since every time you rank up, you gain a core rune, I think I got mine already.’ He thought to himself as he opened his profile.
[Name: Zen Levian]
[Age: 16]
[State: Awakened]
[Rank: Unknown]
[Soul Rank: Rookie (12/1000)]
[Runes: Bloodmancy- Tower of Athilium- Poison Hand]
[Secondary Runes: Soul Harvester]
[Weapons: Iron Katana]
Another rune had been added to his profile, which he instantly recognized. After all, it was weirdly the same exact rune he received when he ranked up the first time.
’Hmm, that didn’t change, which is good. Poison Hand is extremely strong and one of my most important weapons.’
[Name: Poison Hand]
[Type: Status Effect]
[Level 1]
[Evolution Requirement: (Reach level 10 to unlock)]
[Description: Your hand is covered in a very potent poison that activates upon touching the target. Could be lethal to weaker to same level enemies and weakening to stronger enemies. Requires Soul Essence to maintain an active.]
’It is the best weapon against stronger monsters. It will slowly weaken them and make them easier to handle.’ He thought to himself as he nodded.
With that new rune, Zen felt even more ready for what was to come. He was much stronger than before and almost strong enough to build the foundation he was planning to build. Whatever would come their way... He was truly ready.
Or so he thought as suddenly, and out of nowhere, the entire jet shook violently as if it slammed into something mid-air.
*BOOM*
"Whoa!" Zen and Cipha were thrown off balance instantly as they fell from their chairs. "What the hell?!"
The two looked up, and before they could even move, they felt the second hit, much stronger than the first, as the entire jet was flipped upside down. The two fell to the ceiling with a hard thump.
"Agh!" Zen grabbed his side with clenched teeth. ’We’re being attacked!’
"Ugh..."
"Cipha! Are you ok?!" He asked.
"Yeah..."
Zen quickly stood up and rushed to the window to check what was happening outside. There, much to his horror, he saw something that made his face darken. Fire had ignited in one of the wings out of nowhere, and half of the wing... was gone. Smoke rose from the damaged area as the jet was thrown completely off balance.
Meanwhile, Cipha regained her balance and quickly tried to rush to the cockpit.
Their jet was quickly descending to the ground with each passing second.
