'Fuck, where did I go wrong?!'
Faced with Darius's murderous intent, I found myself frozen in place, paralyzed by the intensity of his pressure. It felt so overwhelming that it seemed to solidify the air around me, pinning me to the spot. My legs felt like they were made of stone, and even breathing became a struggle.
'And to think that this is just Advanced-ranked pressure... Is it because of our rank difference?'
Darius, without letting up on his menacing aura, took a step forward. His eyes narrowed, and his piercing gaze locked onto me, searching for any flaw, any hint of deception.
"Who sent you?" he demanded authoritatively. "How do you know my name and my business?" He paused, letting his murderous aura weigh even more heavily on me. "And don't even think about lying. If you try to trick me, I'll kill you on the spot."
A cold shiver ran down my spine.
'He's planning to use his trait, huh...'
The air grew heavier and heavier, each second stretching out endlessly. Despite the fear that gripped me, I managed a faint smile.
Taking a deep breath to regain a semblance of calm, I spoke slowly, weighing each word carefully.
"No one sent me," I said honestly.
"I came on my own, and I didn't come with any bad intentions. I can't tell you exactly how I know about your martial arts collection, but I'm just here to discuss something related to it. I thought a conversation might be in both our best interests."
Darius frowned, clearly perplexed. He scrutinized me, searching for any trace of duplicity. For a few moments, a heavy silence hung in the air.
'Does he really believe his own lies?' Darius wondered internally, surprised by the apparent sincerity of my words.
He then recalled what I had said earlier: that I had only come for a conversation. This approach intrigued him and piqued his curiosity.
Gradually, he eased up on his murderous intent. I felt the change instantly; the air lightened, and I could finally breathe normally.
"Follow me. And don't try anything stupid," Darius ordered curtly.
He turned and headed toward a discreet door hidden behind the counter. I nodded and followed him silently. I knew he wouldn't kill me without reason, as it wouldn't benefit him, but I remained cautious.
The door opened onto a spiral staircase descending into darkness. Darius descended without a word, and I followed him in silence.
At the bottom of the stairs, a vast room stretched out before us — a hidden treasure trove. Reinforced display cases lined the walls, housing a carefully arranged collection of infused scrolls. The scrolls, open rather than rolled, emitted a mystical glow, their inks ranging from electric blue to fiery red, shimmering under the dim lighting. Beneath each case, a small plaque indicated the name of the martial art and its level. None exceeded the medium level, but the sheer quantity and diversity of techniques on display were impressive.
[Dance of Snow] – Mid level Art.
[Iron Tiger's Heart] – Low level Art.
[Whisper of Shadows] – Mid level Art.
'Pfft, why leave them open? This bastard really loves showing off his treasures…'
The total value of this collection must be astronomical. Darius continued walking, ignoring my amazement, as if it were just a formality for him. We crossed the room, and I noticed the absence of high-level arts among the exposed scrolls. If he had any, they were certainly well hidden, although I strongly doubted it.
At the far end of the room, a discreet door came into view. Darius opened it and entered without a backward glance.
I followed him into what appeared to be an office. Holographic screens floated along the right wall, displaying various data and graphs. In the center, a large glass desk held several electronic devices, tablets, and a neatly stacked pile of files. On the side, a state-of-the-art coffee machine emitted the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
Darius immediately headed for the coffee machine, poured himself a cup without even glancing at me, and took a sip before turning to face me, his piercing gaze unchanged, though his murderous intent had vanished.
"Take a seat," he said, gesturing to a chair in front of the desk. "And be prepared, I don't intend to waste my time."
'He seems quite comfortable...'
I sat down calmly, carefully planning what I was going to say. This was a test, a decisive moment. Darius clearly wanted to gauge my intentions, to understand what I was truly after. I needed to play my cards carefully.
'If, despite my explanations, he remains stubborn and actually tries to kill me, I'll have no choice but to reveal certain future events to him and prove my knowledge, hoping to grow stronger before silencing him... Well, I hope it doesn't come to that.'
Suddenly, I frowned.
'Since when have I become so audacious? Noah's personality is really rubbing off on me, huh?'
Darius leaned against his desk, arms crossed.
"Alright," he said. "Now, tell me what you want and why I shouldn't kill you."
'This is my chance to make a good impression.' I thought, taking a deep breath before replying.
"Well, it's actually quite simple. I'm looking for a mid-level martial art that you possess so I can handle myself when the academy starts."
Darius raised an eyebrow, a smile forming on his lips. He seemed to wonder how I planned to convince him to give me a martial art from his collection, especially a mid-level one.
"I bet you're wondering how a kid who came out of nowhere, who wasted your time and even indirectly threatened you, could leave with an art of his choice, right?" I said with a slight smile.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew heavier, and Darius, already annoyed, furrowed his brows.
"Before you get upset, let me ask you a question: what do you know about the dual affinity of space and chaos?"
He rolled his eyes, clearly unwilling to play my question-and-answer game, but he responded anyway.
"One can have an affinity for space or for chaos, but it's impossible to have an affinity for both. These elements are not meant to coexist. Those who have awakened both affinities either died immediately or lost their mana core, becoming incapable of manipulating mana."
I nodded in confirmation. Then, raising my right hand, I focused on my own mana. I felt the air charge with a strange energy. A palpable tension formed around my hand. The air slowly distorted, creating an optical illusion as if the light itself was bending around my palm. A violet aura, intense and tangible, slowly escaped, giving the impression that the space around my hand was warped, as if reality itself was being twisted under pressure.
Darius frowned, confused, but before he could react, I raised my left hand.
This time, I directed my mana differently. I felt a more chaotic energy gather around my palm, as if the very fabric of the universe was tearing. A dark, deep, and menacing aura emanated from my left hand. It wasn't just a simple manipulation of energy; it was as if the essence of chaos was manifesting, engulfing the air around me. The dark energy twisted and contorted, giving the impression of devouring itself, respecting nothing around it.
"Im-impossible! This is simply impossible!!" Darius shouted, jumping out of his chair and spilling his coffee without even noticing. Something incredible was happening before his eyes, a scene he never would have believed possible.
It was a universally accepted rule: no one could simultaneously possess an affinity for both space and chaos. These two elements were considered incompatible. Battles between a space user and a chaos user were known to be particularly devastating because of their antagonistic nature.
And yet, here, before him, a boy was manipulating these two elements together, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
'It...It doesn't make any sense! And yet, I see it with my own eyes...'
He swallowed hard before asking his question, his voice trembling slightly.
"If... if you're truly capable of such a feat, then why the hell did you come to see me?! Any ruling house would have welcomed you with open arms and offered numerous teachings and martial arts!"
I then lowered both my hands, a satisfied smile on my lips. My demonstration had piqued his curiosity, which was only natural — anyone would be intrigued.
The fact that I could manipulate these two elements is not really a secret. At my awakening, I survived the implosion of my mana core while retaining both affinities. My case quickly caught the attention of the guilds and ruling houses, which showed immediate interest. But as soon as they discovered the state of my core and my limitations, they lost interest in me. They judged me as a lost cause, incapable of fully developing my powers, unworthy of their time. In the end, I was labeled a 'wasted talent' and cast aside.
I looked Darius straight in the eye, my smile fading, ready to see his reaction shift from shock to disappointment.
"Well, I'll answer your question with another: do you know what Ethereal Resilience Deferred is?"