Two years passed since the day David William had stunned the Windless Kingdom. The initial shock had faded into a lingering awe, replaced by the subtle, more insidious doubt that still clung to his name. The whispers of "the genius of the Multitalent path" were now often followed by quiet, knowing murmurs: "But how far can he really go?" It was a question David had heard a hundred times, and it fueled his every waking moment. The humiliation he had suffered at the hands of Princess Elisa Winston was a constant, searing memory, a silent fire that forged his resolve into something harder than steel. He would not just reach Transformation Three; he would shatter the limits of this legendary path.
The past two years had been a lonely, relentless ascent. While other young elites trained with their masters, exchanging knowledge and honing their skills in groups, David toiled in solitude. The William estate's vast library had become his world. He had devoured every tome on the four main elite paths, from ancient Knight battle strategies to the nuanced art of alchemical refinement. He synthesized the knowledge, finding the common threads that bound them. The physical discipline of the Knight Path, the mental fortitude of the Mage Path, the structural precision of the Fortress Master Path, and the alchemical mastery of the Pill Master Path were all pieces of a single, cosmic puzzle. His own unique path was the key that fit them all together.
His body, once weak and uncoordinated, was now a finely-tuned machine. Every movement was efficient, imbued with the strength of a Knight, the speed of a Mage, and the unyielding stability of a Fortress Master. His mana core, once a dormant seed, had blossomed into a swirling vortex of energy. He could cast fireballs with the strength of a seasoned Mage and, at the same time, channel earth mana to raise a protective barrier. He had learned to infuse his sword with healing properties and create explosive talismans from simple herbs and minerals. He was a one-man army, a living contradiction of every known combat philosophy.
The transition from Transformation One to Transformation Two was a grueling process. Without a mentor, David had to rely on his own intuition, a perilous journey into the unknown. He had to create his own formulas, his own training methods, and his own breakthrough techniques. His early attempts were riddled with failures. Explosions tore through his private workshop, leaving scorch marks on the walls. His mana control would sometimes fail, leaving him drained and weak for days. His body would ache with a deep, bone-weary exhaustion from pushing himself beyond his limits. But each failure was a lesson, a piece of a puzzle that slowly, painstakingly, came together. Finally, after months of painstaking effort, he felt the shift. The familiar hum of his mana core grew stronger, the flow of energy through his body became more potent, and his understanding of the world deepened. He had successfully broken through to Transformation Two.
The change in his appearance was subtle but profound. He was now a young man of seventeen, his physique lean and powerful. His eyes, once shadowed with an empty weariness, now held a sharp, dangerous gleam—the look of a predator who had found his strength. His demeanor, always cold and aloof, was now tinged with an unshakable confidence, the kind that came not from inherited status, but from hard-earned power. He was no longer the frail boy who had been a joke; he was a silent storm waiting to unleash its fury.
However, his progress hit a bottleneck. The resources available in a small kingdom like Windless were simply not enough. The rare herbs, magical metals, and unique mana-infused crystals he needed for his advancement were only found in the larger, more powerful kingdoms. His parents, though still worried, understood. With a mix of pride and trepidation, they granted him permission to travel to the Snowess Kingdom, a bustling hub of commerce and power, a mid-tier kingdom rumored to have resources that even the Great King Winston would covet. It was a dangerous journey for a young elite, but David was undeterred. The journey was not a choice; it was a necessity.
He traveled alone, a lone figure on a fast steed, his face hidden behind the hood of his cloak. The world of Illusion unfolded before him in all its glory and danger. He passed through ancient forests, their trees older than a thousand lifetimes, and over vast plains where mana-beasts roamed freely. His journey was a test of his new-found skills, a series of skirmishes against bandits and wild creatures, each a lesson in combat and survival. He was ruthless and efficient. His blade was a flash of silver, his spells a silent whisper of death, his movements a blur of controlled power. He did not engage in pointless battles; he fought only to survive and to learn. The coldness in his heart, a remnant of his past life, made him a merciless warrior. He did not kill out of cruelty, but out of necessity, a detached and pragmatic approach to a life filled with conflict.
He arrived at the gates of Snowess Kingdom's capital city, Aethelburg, a sprawling metropolis that dwarfed anything he had ever seen in Windless. The city walls were taller, the streets were wider, and the flow of mana was so dense it felt like he was walking through a thick fog of pure energy. The city was a kaleidoscope of cultures and races. Elves with their ethereal grace, Dwarves with their sturdy builds, and Beastkin with their animalistic features mingled with humans in a chaotic but vibrant tapestry of life.
The market district was a marvel. Tents and stalls lined the streets, overflowing with goods from every corner of the Illusion world. He saw glowing crystals that pulsed with raw mana, rare herbs that promised to cure any ailment, and weapons forged from metals he had only read about in books. This was a place of opportunity, a place where he could finally acquire the resources he needed to continue his journey.
He spent the first few days simply observing, his sharp eyes scanning the crowds and his powerful mana sense probing the air. He was searching for a specific vendor, one rumored to have a collection of materials from the mythical Frozen Peaks, a place known for its mana-rich ice crystals. He found the stall tucked away in a quiet corner of the market, its owner a grizzled, old gnome with a perpetually suspicious expression. As David was examining a crystalline shard, a familiar scent drifted towards him. Jasmine and the faint hum of powerful mana.
His body tensed. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. The last person in the world he wanted to see again. A girl with golden hair and a dismissive smile.
"My, my, what a coincidence," a melodious voice said, laced with a hint of playful surprise. "The 'disgrace' of the William family, all the way in the Snowess Kingdom. I didn't think you would have the courage to venture so far from home."
David slowly turned, his expression as unreadable as a stone tablet. There she was. Princess Elisa Winston. She looked just as he remembered, only perhaps more beautiful, her golden hair shimmering in the sunlight, her emerald eyes sparkling with a familiar curiosity. She was accompanied by a single, formidable-looking guard.
Elisa studied him, and her smile faltered. The boy she remembered was pale, withdrawn, and awkward. The young man standing before her was different. His posture was no longer slouched in self-pity, but erect with a quiet power. His eyes held a depth she didn't remember. He had the sharp, cold aura of a veteran warrior. And his power… she could sense it now, a subtle but undeniable resonance. It was different from any mana signature she had ever felt. It was a chaotic harmony, a fusion of elements that shouldn't exist together.
"You… you've changed," she said, her voice softer, a genuine note of surprise entering her tone. "Your aura… it's… different."
David's gaze was cold, his mind replaying her words from two years ago. "A path to a dead end.""The will of a man." The memory was still raw, a wound that hadn't healed. "People change, Your Highness," he replied, his voice a low, gravelly monotone, devoid of any warmth. "I hope you are not here to pass judgment on me again."
Elisa's eyes widened slightly. The barb was direct, sharp, and unexpected. Her cheerful facade cracked. She had been arrogant then, she knew that. It had been an easy thing to mock a boy who was the laughingstock of a minor kingdom. She had forgotten about him soon after, her attention moving on to other, more important things. To be reminded of her casual cruelty now, in this public setting, by this new, formidable version of David, was jarring.
"I… I didn't mean to be rude then," she stammered, a flicker of genuine regret in her eyes. "I was... misinformed."
David scoffed, a single, sharp sound that was more withering than any long speech. "Misinformed? You judged me on the basis of a rumor and a legend, not on the man standing before you. You didn't just judge me; you dismissed me. I am no longer interested in your opinion, Your Highness. I have business to attend to." He turned his back on her, a blatant show of disrespect that would have earned a lesser man a swift execution. He returned to examining the mana crystal on the gnome's stall, his posture conveying a clear message: You are of no consequence to me.
Elisa was stunned. Her guard took a step forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword, but a look from Elisa stopped him. She was used to being courted, admired, even feared. No one had ever dared to treat her with such cold disdain, to turn their back on her in such a public manner. A spark ignited within her. The shame she had inflicted on him two years ago was now being returned, a public rebuke that she, the haughty princess, had richly deserved. The casual disdain she had shown him was now a source of fascination. The boy she had mocked was no more; in his place stood a man who was unafraid to challenge her, a man whose power was an enigma.
She wanted to know more. She wanted to know how he had managed to break through to Transformation Two on a path with no guide. She wanted to know what mysteries his power held. And she wanted to see if that cold, impenetrable exterior could be cracked. Her curiosity, a powerful and untamed force within her, now focused entirely on David William.
David, oblivious to the storm he had ignited in her heart, simply paid the gnome for the crystal and walked away. He had a long way to go, and the fleeting presence of a beautiful, arrogant princess was of no concern to him. He was a man with a goal, and his journey had only just begun.