Chapter 127: Increase in Strength
Edgar slowly regained consciousness as his body felt much more relaxed than before.
For a few moments, he simply stared at the wooden ceiling above him like he had nothing else to do.
’My body really feels like it has been rejuvenated.’
The soreness from the previous night’s ritual had almost completely disappeared.
"...Morning."
He quietly turned his head just as he heard the meek voice.
Just as expected, Hera was still in his arms, but unlike usual, she wasn’t trying to pretend she was sleeping.
The silver-haired girl had already woken up.
Her eyes were fixed on Edgar’s face while both of her cheeks had turned a deep shade of red.
"....."
The moment their eyes met, Hera immediately lowered her gaze.
She looked so embarrassed that she couldn’t even bring herself to speak.
Edgar blinked in confusion. "...What’s wrong?"
Hera’s face somehow became even redder. "N-Nothing..."
Her voice came out as little more than a whisper. It was really odd behavior.
Edgar slowly loosened his arms around her. "...You can get up."
The moment she felt his grip disappear, Hera immediately slipped out from beneath the blanket.
"I-I have work to do!"
Without waiting for another word, she hurried toward the stairs.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Within seconds, she had disappeared onto the first floor.
"..."
Edgar remained lying on the sofa, completely confused.
’...What happened to her?’ He scratched the back of his head. ’Did I say something strange last night?’
Just then, the blanket covering him slowly slipped down as the cool morning air brushed against his skin.
"...Hm?"
Edgar instinctively looked downward, where his manhood stood proudly underneath the blanket.
"..."
His expression turned blank.
"..."
For several long seconds, he simply stared at himself.
He wasn’t wearing a single piece of clothing.
The ritual had completely burned away everything he had been wearing the previous night.
"..."
The image of Hera’s bright red face immediately resurfaced in his mind.
"..."
His face slowly turned pale. "...Fuck."
He covered his face with both hands before letting out a long groan. "So that’s why..."
...
Nearly an hour later, after taking a cold bath and changing into fresh clothes, Edgar quietly left the Fortress.
There wasn’t time to dwell on the embarrassing incident.
He still had important work waiting for him.
Outside the southern end of the forest, the Albino Gorilla Commander was already waiting.
Edgar had also brought a lot of Nightmare Stones with him.
Edgar climbed onto its broad shoulder before giving a simple order.
"South."
BOOM!
The gigantic skeleton immediately sprinted into the forest. Every step covered several metres.
Ancient trees rapidly disappeared behind them.
Despite its incredible speed, the ride was anything but comfortable.
"...Urgh."
Edgar grabbed one of the Gorilla’s massive shoulder bones to steady himself.
Every jump made his entire body bounce violently. "I seriously need a better way to travel."
Still, it was much faster than riding a horse.
The Han River lay far to the south, and every minute mattered.
As the Commander continued running through the forest, Edgar quietly summoned his system.
A translucent screen appeared before him.
---
Name: Edgar Atreus
Class: Sun
Level: 2
Stats:
Strength: 31
Speed: 31
Agility: 31
Endurance: 31
New Skills Acquired:
⟨Heavenly Spirit Body⟩
⟨Sun Blast⟩
---
Edgar’s eyes immediately settled on the first skill. "...Heavenly Spirit Body."
Without hesitation, he activated it.
A warm sensation spread from his Solar Heart.
Golden energy surged through every part of his body.
Whoosh!
A translucent golden skeleton suddenly appeared around him. It perfectly mirrored his posture.
The giant phantom wrapped around his body like a suit of armor but felt as soft as though it were made of silk.
Edgar slowly clenched his fist, and he didn’t feel any type of friction from the spirit.
"...Interesting."
He lightly punched forward and clearly felt the flexibility of the thing.
Although it wasn’t completely solid, Edgar could clearly feel another layer protecting his body.
"It works like armor."
After observing it for another few moments, he dismissed the skill.
The golden skeleton quietly disappeared.
His attention shifted toward the second ability. "...Sun Blast."
Instinctively, Edgar knew what he had to do to use it.
He stretched one hand toward a distant ancient tree.
Golden energy rapidly gathered within his palm, and the surrounding air immediately became hotter.
"Hmm..."
A sphere of brilliant sunlight condensed before his hand.
"...Fire."
Edgar gently pushed his palm forward.
BOOOOM!!
A beam of golden light erupted across the forest.
The nearby ancient tree disappeared in an explosion of splintered wood.
Several surrounding trunks cracked apart from the shockwave alone.
Leaves rained through the air as the sound of the attack echoed across the forest.
"....."
Edgar quietly stared at the destruction. "...Much stronger than I expected."
The attack had consumed a noticeable amount of Solar Energy, but its power was undeniable.
Against groups of enemies, it would become an extremely useful weapon.
Edgar closed the system screen.
Apart from the new skills, he could also feel the changes within his own body.
His muscles felt lighter, and his breathing had become smoother. Even his eyesight seemed sharper than before.
"...So this is Level Two."
A satisfied smile appeared across his face.
...
Several hours later, the Albino Gorilla Commander finally slowed to a stop.
The Han River quietly flowed in the distance, the sound of the water flowing clearly reaching his ears.
Not far away, Edgar could sense the rescued slaves through the Soul Network.
"...Good."
They had survived the night safely, which was a good thing for him.
Still, Edgar decided not to meet with them just yet.
The blonde boy climbed down from the Commander’s shoulder before looking toward the surrounding terrain.
His gaze slowly swept across the nearby cliffs.
Eventually, his eyes settled upon a broad plateau high above the river.
The cliff overlooked the surrounding forest from every direction, with a narrow path naturally connecting it to the mountains behind.
The Han River below would provide water, and the height would make it difficult to attack.
Anyone approaching from the forest could be seen long before they arrived.
A slow smile appeared across Edgar’s face. "...Perfect."
He slowly walked to the center of the plateau.
The morning wind brushed against his clothes as he looked over the vast land stretching before him. "This will become their new home."
A translucent system screen quietly appeared before his eyes.
---
[Would you like to register this place as your Subsidiary Fortress?]
[Yes/No]
---
Edgar took a deep breath and decided to create the subsidiary Fortress.