Scarlett and the others walked behind Lilith, heading toward a cave not far from where the Martial Village used to be. Once, that village had been lively and full of strong warriors, but now it was nothing more than broken ruins after the attack of the succubi.
The land around it was changing too. The region of DreadHaven was spreading bit by bit, slowly swallowing the surrounding villages and forests. It was like a creeping shadow, always moving forward. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before DreadHaven's territory touched the Dark Elf village. The two places would end up standing side by side, barely half an hour apart.
As Scarlett walked, a thought struck her. She frowned slightly.
"I never told anyone about the cave with dense mana—perfect for cultivation. So how does she know?" she wondered, her gaze narrowing with suspicion.
But soon, she shook her head, letting out a small laugh. "Of course they would know. Avion might act like a fool sometimes, but he's still a Demon King and a former ruler. It would be more surprising if he and Miss Lilith didn't know about it."
When they reached the cave, the group was greeted by a glowing sight. The walls were covered in rune stones, their carvings pulsing faintly with energy. Large mana crystals sparkled in every corner like stars scattered in the dark. The air inside was thick with energy, so heavy and pure that just breathing felt different.
Last time, Scarlett's eyes had lit up like gold coins at the sight. Her greedy side had wanted to take every single crystal for herself. But now, she didn't even have the slightest desire to grab them. She knew too well—once the crystals were removed, the cave would lose its power and become just another empty cave. And besides, she already had her so-called "unlimited gold and silver glitch," thanks to the Gorgon sisters, Stheno and Euryale. Compared to that, these crystals didn't tempt her at all.
Inside, Lilith's calm voice echoed as she began teaching the basics of cultivation. "The first step is learning how to convert mana into liquid form. Feel the energy inside you. Shape it, compress it, and let it flow."
Scarlett listened, but she already knew these things. Xao had taught her before, so she wasted no time and began right away, closing her eyes and focusing her energy.
The others, however, were struggling. After just a few minutes, Baron was breathing hard, sweat dripping down his forehead. Semiath had clenched his fists tightly, his face red with the effort. Seiira leaned against the wall, her breathing shallow, her lips curling into a weak smile.
"Urgh…" she groaned, her voice sounding dizzy. "It really is difficult… feels like I'm drunk, and someone keeps poking my brain with a stick." She let out a dry laugh, though her eyes were heavy with exhaustion.
Whack!
A sharp sound echoed through the cave as Lilith smacked Seiira lightly on the head. Her expression was firm, her tone cutting like a blade.
"Focus."
The single word carried so much weight that Seiira instantly straightened her back, rubbing her head with a pout. Her face showed both embarrassment and stubbornness, but she didn't dare complain further.
As they continued the training, a sudden noise broke the focus in the cave.
A demon with red skin and long curvy horns collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach as he vomited and coughed heavily, his body trembling.
It was none other than Arpeus Nova.
"Go outside and take a break! And don't you dare run away!" Lilith's sharp voice cracked through the silence like a whip.
Arpeus wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gave a weak nod. "Thank you for your generosity… I already organized that auction today, I need to be well at all costs." His voice was rough but filled with determination. With unsteady steps, he left the cave to catch his breath.
"Auction?" Scarlett's brows furrowed slightly as she tried to keep her focus. The word floated in her mind for a moment, but soon her attention shifted elsewhere. Her gaze landed on Cryptus, the skeleton boy. She tilted her head in puzzlement.
If he had no muscles or skin, then what in the world was he going to achieve by turning mana into liquid form?
"Wait, why is Cryptus doing this? How does it even help him?" Scarlett finally asked aloud, unable to hold back her curiosity.
Lilith, without looking up, replied flatly, "He can strengthen his core and also enhance his bones." She didn't add a single word beyond Scarlett's question, her tone brisk and distant.
Scarlett blinked, still feeling unconvinced. "Is that so…?" she muttered, nodding slightly. Her eyes swept over the others, noticing how much they struggled—especially Seiira.
Scarlett's chest tightened a little. "I should not have insisted Seiira to come here," she thought with slight regret. But almost immediately, that regret softened into a strange joy. She realized she could split her focus between different things while also converting mana into liquid form.
A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Is this because of my unique skill, Sixth Sense? Or maybe my strong mental resistance?" she wondered. Whatever the reason, it felt unfairly powerful. For the first time, she thought of herself as a living cheat code.
Her gaze shifted again, this time to Li Feng. He sat silently, eyes narrowed with deep concentration, his presence calm and steady. Beside him, his sister Xao focused just as hard, the two of them almost mirroring each other.
A few steps away, Reiza and Lunatic were locked in their own little contest, both refusing to lose, their stubbornness burning as strong as their mana.
But then Scarlett's eyes landed on Kroenen—and she froze. His whole body pulsed with energy, light flickering under his skin as though his veins themselves were glowing. The rhythm of his mana conversion was shockingly fast—faster than hers.
Scarlett clenched her fists. "No way… why is Kroenen better than me? Is there some secret trick he's using—"
Her thoughts shattered as Lilith suddenly smacked her lightly on the head.
"You should focus on yourself instead of staring at others!" Lilith scolded, her tone sharp but oddly protective.
Scarlett rubbed her head and gave a small pout, but before she could argue, Lilith added more softly after a pause, "He is an elf after all. Elves are close to nature, sensitive to mana. That gives him an advantage. And besides… he's very talented. It's a double benefit."
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After a few long hours, the training finally came to an end. Everyone had pushed themselves until the sun began to set, their bodies drenched in sweat, faces pale with exhaustion. Even Lunatic, the proud succubus queen, looked weary and slumped, her usual sharp energy dimmed. The only one who still stood fresh and unbothered was Scarlett.
"This is enough for today," Lilith's voice echoed firmly in the cave as she adjusted her glasses. "Remember—try to awaken a deep desire or push past your limits. That's how you may gain a unique skill. The more, the better. And for those of you who already have one, your task is to master it completely, to bring out its full power."
Her words carried weight, leaving no room for complaints. With steady steps, Lilith headed toward the mouth of the cave. One by one, the tired group dragged themselves after her, shoulders heavy, breaths uneven. Some barely had the strength to speak, only thinking about collapsing on their beds.
But just before everyone went their separate ways, Scarlett's voice cut through the silence.
"There's something I want to ask…" She paused, then looked at Lilith seriously. "Do you know how the Creator's Will works? And how strong someone has to be to break it?"
The others didn't say a word. They were too drained, just standing there, waiting for Scarlett's curiosity to be satisfied so they could finally leave.
Lilith stopped walking and turned slightly. Her face was calm, but her tone carried sharp clarity. "It happens naturally. If your strength grows to the point where the restrictions forced on you no longer hold, then you'll automatically break the Creator's Will."
She adjusted her glasses again before continuing. "But every species has different restrictions. For example—normal animals. If one of them had even half the strength you all possess right now, they would've already broken free of the Will."
She glanced at each of them as she spoke. "Humans carry a balanced amount of restriction. Demons, however, have about twenty times more than humans. As for primordial demons, they suffer fifty times the restrictions, and on top of that, they're bound by another rule—they cannot leave Hell unless contracted by someone outside."
The group listened silently, their eyes widening in disbelief. But Lilith wasn't done. "The harshest restrictions fall on the archangels. For them, breaking free is a hundred times harder than it is for a human."
Scarlett's lips twitched, and she finally blurted out, "Why does the Creator sound like… a racist?"
The words hung in the air for a moment. Lilith didn't answer immediately. Her expression turned unreadable, her tone flat and cold as she finally replied. "Think of yourself as a person monitoring a large area with surveillance cameras. Which spots would you pay more attention to?"
Scarlett blinked. "Wait—you know about CCTV?" she asked in surprise, her voice almost squeaking. She quickly caught herself, hiding her shock. Avion had once mentioned traveling to strange worlds, including advanced ones with bizarre things—so maybe Lilith had indeed visited such places.
Lilith ignored Scarlett's surprise and calmly rephrased her example. "Fine, let me put it this way. Imagine you are standing near a massive forest, and inside, you must keep watch over certain goods. Where will your attention go?"
Scarlett thought for a moment. "Umm… the wild beasts and monsters, I guess. And especially… the bandits."
A faint smile appeared on Lilith's lips, subtle but visible. "You said 'especially bandits.' That means you wouldn't treat every being equally. Some would naturally demand more attention. That's exactly how the Creator's Will works. Normal animals pose no real danger, but primordial demons are dangerous, and archangels—being so close to the Creator—demand the strictest restrictions and attention."
Scarlett smacked her fist into her palm with a small nod. "Ohhh… now I get it!" Her eyes gleamed with realization. "So then… how much restriction do I have?"
Lilith's face turned expressionless again, her voice flat, carrying no emotion. "I don't know. You're the first true dragon I've ever seen under the Creator's Will."
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[author]
My exams got delayed because of the rain by two days, Thus I had to take two more days break, But we starting now on....
[/author]