Chapter 292 - Racial Abilities
Two hours later, the huge group had already started traveling deep into the desert.
From all three different groups, the Imperial Church walked up front, followed by the Dragonfang group before ending with Theo’s group.
Jim walked silently near the end of his group, a large bruise surrounding his left eye.
’’You think it was easy for me to come up with excuses for two hours?’’ he muttered quietly to himself. ’’You should’ve been thanking and praising me... not fucking punching me.’’
His expression only darkened further as he kicked into the sand.
’’Just you wait until next time...’’
A few steps ahead of him, Owen completely ignored his grumbling.
Instead, his gaze had been locked onto Theo, just like Lyra and Iris.
’’So what the hell actually happened back there?’’ he asked strangely. ’’I mean, my breakthroughs are strange. But that...?’’
Theo remained silent for a moment.
Even now, he wasn’t entirely sure how to answer that question.
’’I don’t really know,’’ he admitted honestly. ’’I awakened another affinity... but it kind of went rogue?’’
Iris slowly raised an eyebrow.
The scenes of the destruction that occurred were still fresh in her mind.
’Another element,’ she thought quietly. ’And something so destructive...’
Just then, Owen opened his mouth again.
’’What about that transformation of yours?’’ he asked, tilting his head.
Theo’s expression only turned more confused and serious.
’’I don’t know exactly what it was either,’’ he replied. ’’I was planning to ask Feng about it after you all were done asking questions.’’
Catching the hint, Owen quickly nodded.
’’Got it,’’ he said, zipping his mouth.
But just then, Lyra spoke up for the first time.
’’So you are a Gold Core now, right?’’ she asked seriously.
Theo turned to her before nodding.
’’And that made you a lot stronger?’’ she asked once more.
Theo nodded again.
’’A lot,’’ he replied. ’’Even without the new element and all the other stuff, I could probably handle five of my previous selves.’’
The three of them instantly fell silent.
They stared at him with raised brows, clearly shocked.
’’Five?’’ Owen couldn’t help but ask. ’’You got that much stronger?’’
’’Probably,’’ Theo replied after thinking about it for a moment. ’’My mana capacity has improved incredibly much, just like my control and physical abilities.’’
He paused for a moment. ’’It’s not even close to what it was before.’’
All three stared strangely at him.
Even Jim, having caught bits of the conversation, couldn’t help but look stunned ahead.
They all knew advancing to Gold Core was supposed to create an enormous difference.
It was just like the Bronze Core, where instead of gaining an affinity, one’s body improved significantly alongside their mana capacity.
But Theo had already been ridiculously strong as a Silver Core.
If he could now fight five versions of himself from a few hours ago...
’’That’s fucking bullshit,’’ Owen muttered, kicking the sand. ’’I really have to break through soon.’’
Meanwhile, Iris gently patted Theo on the back.
’’Alright, we’ll let you communicate with Feng now,’’ she said, giving him a small smile.
She paused for a moment before looking up.
’’And Theo...’’ she added quietly. ’’Please tell me if you’re in any danger afterward, alright?’’
Theo looked at her for a moment before nodding.
’’I will.’’
With a warm smile, Iris gradually slowed down, joining Jim at the back together with Owen and Lyra.
For a few moments, Theo continued walking in silence.
Now alone, he slowly made the connection with his summoning space.
’Feng,’ he called out internally. ’Let’s talk now.’
For several seconds, there was no response.
Then Feng’s familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
’’Finally, Contractor.’’
It immediately continued in a serious voice.
’’Tell me everything you know about what happened.’’
Theo raised an eyebrow.
’You don’t know?’ he asked, surprised.
’’No,’’ Feng replied even more seriously. ’’Even I have never seen anything like that.’’
’’From your bloodline to that transformation... I wish to know everything.’’
Theo’s expression slowly became more serious.
If even Feng had no idea what that transformation was, then things were getting stranger by the second.
’There isn’t much I can tell you,’ he admitted. ’I know the name of the affinity, which is the Calamity affinity. And that’s about where it ends.’
For several seconds, Feng didn’t respond.
’’Calamity...’’ it eventually repeated, sounding genuinely confused.
Theo waited, expecting some kind of explanation.
But unfortunately... that never came.
’’I have never heard of such an affinity,’’ Feng said slowly. ’’Nor have I encountered anything that resembles it in my thousands of years of life.’’
Theo frowned slightly.
’Nothing?’ he repeated.
’’Nothing,’’ Feng confirmed. ’’But an affinity alone still does not explain what happened to your body. Awakening an affinity should not cause such a transformation.’’
Feng fell silent again, seemingly thinking through everything it had witnessed.
Just then, Theo’s steps slowed down slightly.
’Come to think of it,’ he said. ’Do you know what racial abilities are? Because I’ve awakened those for my new affinity too.’
’’Huh?’’
Feng’s voice came out like it had been completely caught off guard.
’’Did you just say you... awakened a racial ability?’’ it asked strangely.
’Yeah,’ Theo replied casually.
For a moment, silence fell between them again.
’’It would explain everything,’’ Feng said, its voice growing louder. ’’But how?!’’
Theo’s eyebrows rose slightly.
It was rare to hear Feng sound this emotional.
’Is it that strange?’ he asked.
’’Of course it is strange!’’ Feng exclaimed. ’’Racial abilities are abilities woven directly into the bloodline of a race! They are not ordinary spells that one can simply learn!’’
Theo’s brows furrowed immediately.
’’Think of the worm’s dragon breath,’’ Feng continued rapidly. ’’My fortune sense and your friend Owen’s transformation.’’
’’Even if you understood exactly how they worked, you still wouldn’t be able to replicate them!’’
Theo’s expression slowly became more serious.
’Damn...’ he thought. ’That transformation must be one of them then.’
’’Most likely,’’ Feng replied. ’’But there is no point guessing about it.’’
Theo raised an eyebrow.
’What do you mean?’
’’Racial abilities are part of your bloodline,’’ Feng explained. ’’You should be able to feel them inside you almost instinctively.’’
Theo’s brows furrowed.
’Feel them instinctively?’
He closed his eyes for a moment and focused inside himself.
Almost immediately, his attention was drawn towards his core.
Deep inside it, a strange black mass silently floated within his mana.
’That’s the new affinity,’ he thought, raising an eyebrow for a moment.
Then, Theo carefully concentrated on the black mass.
The moment he did, a strange feeling spread throughout his entire body.
Before Theo could understand what was happening, a familiar blue screen suddenly appeared in front of him.
[System Note: This is a one-time warning. The ’Calamity Incarnate’ racial ability temporarily raises your strength to the Diamond Core grade and grants access to several additional abilities.]
[Afterward, your Calamity affinity will require a recovery period. Repeated use before fully recovering can break your core. Use it with utmost caution.]