Transmigrated with my corruption system

Chapter 195: Chapter 193: Gifts of the Journey [II]

Staring at the retreating figure, a smile spread across Ulric’s face.

But he didn’t have time to linger on the moment.

Another figure suddenly rushed forward, appearing before him before promptly seating herself on his lap.

"What about me?" Tara asked, her orange eyes brimming with curiosity as they locked onto his crimson gaze.

"Huh?" Ulric breathed, unable to hide the surprise flashing across his face.

When they had departed from Tempest, Tara had been noticeably gloomy.

Yet now, that seemed to have faded considerably.

Sensing his questioning gaze, Tara smiled faintly before shaking her head.

She had indeed been a little saddened after Amelia chose not to accompany them.

But the more she reflected on it, the more she came to understand her mother’s decision.

At first, she had believed Amelia simply couldn’t bear to leave Tempest after spending so many years there, having grown deeply attached to the city.

But now she realized she had been mistaken.

Despite appearing around the same age, Amelia was still her mother.

Her golden years had long since passed.

Even if she chose to walk the path of power now, the rewards would be limited, and the countless hardships awaiting her would far outweigh any benefits she might gain.

More importantly. She simply didn’t want to.

Not everyone sought to stand at the absolute peak.

Some people were perfectly content living ordinary lives, finding happiness in the simple things they already possessed.

Although mortals and weaker beings often endured countless hardships, it was common knowledge throughout the realm of Arcadia that the road to power was no easier.

If anything, it was paved with dangers far greater than an ordinary person could ever hope to comprehend. But none of that mattered.

Letting out a quiet breath, Tara unconsciously clenched her fingers as she recalled the proud smile Amelia had worn after sensing the newfound power flowing through her body.

She engraved that expression deep within her heart. It became a promise she silently made to herself.

She would become powerful. So powerful that her name would one day echo throughout the realm of Arcadia.

Then, even from distant Tempest, her mother would hear stories of her accomplishments and know that their lineage had risen to heights it had never before imagined.

Staring into the dark-robed youth’s crimson eyes, Tara slowly lowered her head as overwhelming gratitude welled up within her heart.

He had changed her life. He had changed her mother’s life.

Although he had done it all without expecting anything in return, Tara silently vowed that she would spend the rest of her life repaying the debt she owed him.

At the side, Ulric sensed the resolute will radiating from Tara, causing his brows to arch slightly.

He couldn’t tell exactly what was going through her mind. But he was certain of one thing.

An unshakable will was one of the greatest signs of a seedling with boundless potential.

He had read countless records claiming that, in certain situations, an indomitable will was even more valuable than exceptional talent itself.

Ulric didn’t know how true those words were.

But one thing was undeniable. He was pleased that her heart had finally found its direction.

A wavering mind was well known to hinder a person’s growth, often becoming an invisible chain that held countless geniuses back from reaching their true potential.

With those thoughts in mind, Ulric inhaled sharply before flicking his wrist in response to Tara’s earlier question.

Instantly, the air before him shimmered.

A pair of mystical gauntlets materialized from thin air, glowing with a deep crimson hue.

Staring at them, Tara’s eyes widened as she sensed the intense fire energy brimming within.

It almost seemed to rival, or perhaps even surpass, her SSS-rank Fire Talent.

"But... how?" Tara wondered silently.

Receiving Ulric’s encouraging nod, she reached out and carefully picked them up, her fingers gliding across every inch of their intricately carved surface.

Never before had she seen craftsmanship of such astonishing detail.

Her curiosity only deepened.

All her life, she had trained in the battle arts of assassins, a style that had only shifted slightly after awakening her Fire Talent.

Even then, she had remained faithful to her preferred weapons.

Daggers...And slender throwing needles.

The longer she inspected the gauntlets, the more uncertainty welled up inside her.

They looked extraordinary. Yet she couldn’t feel even the slightest natural affinity toward them.

Just to be certain, she decided to equip them.

Even if they weren’t suited to her, she would still treasure them.

After all, she had no intention of letting Ulric’s effort in choosing them go to waste.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt the instant the gauntlets settled over her hands.

The uncertainty on her face vanished without a trace. Something deep within her suddenly clicked.

A surge of energy coursed through her body, flowing through every vein with astonishing clarity.

If her flames had once resembled a wild, unrestrained blade... Then these gauntlets were the perfect sheath, allowing her to control that overwhelming power with absolute precision.

Ever since her Fire Talent evolved, her flames had grown increasingly violent and difficult to restrain.

She had been slowly learning to refine that power. But she knew it would have taken a very long time.

Yet the instant she equipped the gauntlets...

Everything changed. Every ounce of her fire fell under perfect control.

And that wasn’t all. She could instinctively sense that the gauntlets possessed abilities far greater than that alone.

At a mere thought, a raging inferno erupted from her body, engulfing her completely.

Even more astonishing, the flames burned several times hotter than before.

The gauntlets didn’t simply improve her control. They amplified her raw power as well.

"This was incredible!" Tara beamed.

But her smile quickly faded as she noticed the devastation surrounding her.

The ground beneath her had melted into molten sludge.

Worse still. She had unleashed all of this in front of Ulric.

Had another D-rank stood this close when she released that much power, they would have been reduced to ashes.

Turning slightly, she looked toward Ulric. He stood exactly where he had been before.

Completely unharmed. She didn’t know whether to feel happy or depressed that even her full strength was insignificant before him.

She hadn’t even managed to scorch the robe draped over his body.

Speaking of robes...Her gaze lowered as she realized her own hadn’t survived the inferno.

It had been completely burned away, leaving her body fully bare.

It seemed she still had much to learn.

She couldn’t allow something like this to happen in the middle of a real battle.

A faint blush spread across her cheeks at the thought.

Which only deepened when Ulric suddenly swatted her ass, his voice echoing once more.

"Go on and try it some more."

Nodding hurriedly, Tara scampered into the distance, the heat of embarrassment burning across her face.

Reaching into her storage ring, she retrieved another robe before quickly draping it over herself.

Not wasting another moment, she shifted her attention back to the gauntlets, immersing herself in another round of training and experimentation.

Exhaling softly, Ulric clenched one of his fists.

Instantly, the ground beneath him trembled slightly before rippling like liquid.

The next moment, the earth flowed over the molten sludge, restoring the ground beneath him to solid stone once more.

Satisfied, he sat back down.

His gaze shifted into the distance as he quietly observed Tara for a while.

She stood rooted in a combat stance, throwing punch after punch into the empty air.

With every strike, torrents of blazing fire erupted outward, scorching everything in their path while unleashing waves of destructive power.

The more she used the gauntlets, the more excited she became.

Until she was completely immersed in them.

Aelira stood at the side, an aloof expression plastered across her face.

But deep inside, countless emotions churned.

With every weapon Ulric gifted the others, her heart beat a little faster.

Each one seemed so perfectly suited to its owner that she couldn’t wait to see what he had prepared for her.

Although she already treasured her massive hammer, the thought of receiving another weapon wasn’t all that bad.

Watching Lyra practice with her twin blades in the distance, Aelira gradually found herself warming to the idea of wielding twin hammers.

It would probably be a little tricky at first.

But with enough practice...She was confident she could manage.

The more she pictured herself wielding them, the more excited she became.

Then she suddenly paused, her brows slowly knitting together.

Why wasn’t he calling her yet? Unable to hold back any longer, she looked toward him.

His eyes were still fixed on Tara as he silently observed her training, seemingly paying no attention to anything else.

Calming herself, Aelira assumed he would snap out of it after a few moments.

Surely he was just making a few final observations before calling her over.

But a few moments turned into several minutes.

Still, nothing changed.

He...He couldn’t have forgotten about her, right?