Chapter 291: Evolution
"We’re quite lucky. To think that we will be able to access this place... It looks like my family has done quite a lot to make this possible." Maya smiled, taking out the access card that had been given to her. "The condition is simple. You can use this place for training, but help sweep this place and find all the artifacts you can and turn them in to the government. Will that be fine for you?"
"Yeah. It’s fine, as long as it doesn’t take more than twelve hours." Auric nodded, looking at the ruins before him.
The ruins were actually the Light and Dark Peak ruins. It was a place located on the peak of a mountain. This place gathered light during the day and darkness during the night. That was why it formed ruins containing both the light and dark elements.
Maya nodded. "Don’t worry. This place might be quite dangerous, but you are with me. I will wipe out all the enemies, so all you need to do is find the artifacts. It’s not a big place, so six hours is all we need, depending on how fast you are."
"Understood." Auric nodded. He checked the energy first and confirmed that it was strong enough to fill his elements.
Name: Auric Elfe
Element: (Fire 100%), Water (100%), Lightning (108%), Wind (126%), Earth (124%), Plant (108%), Light (76%), Dark (76%), Unique (100%)
It had been ten days since he started focusing on his elements. As long as he could fill up one element, he would have more than enough energy to reach rank 2, both for his light and dark elements.
"Do you have the elements? I’m kind of curious what elements you possess right now." Maya crossed her arms.
"For the light element? I have four: Sunlight, Super Light, Holy Light, and Mirage Light. For the dark element? I also have four: Eternal Night, Shadow, Fear, and Withering Energy. This place allows me to gather the energy for Sunlight and Withering Energy. As long as both of them are filled, I can evolve immediately."
"Oh!" Maya nodded in understanding. "Well, do your best. Do we need to go deeper than this?"
"No. As long as we’re inside, it will be fine."
"Very well." Maya summoned her avatar and began her transformation. She didn’t intend to lower her guard when it came to Auric, so she would give him the best protection.
This was the first time Auric had seen her transformation. The dark element coated her arms, making them look like a demon’s hands. A mask covered her face, and her coat was set ablaze by a black fire.
Auric smiled. "Please take care of me."
"Mhmm." Maya nodded. "Go for it."
"Yes." Auric closed his eyes and started activating his gathering techniques. Because of his lack of affinity, he absorbed the energy like a vacuum cleaner. His element increased by 1% every ten seconds.
When Ellia did the same thing, it took her a minute to even increase by 1%.
Auric knew that even though his absorption rate was 100%, which would normally mean he possessed Grade SSS affinity, his body had the absorption power of a vacuum. This made his affinity increase further, but not in the same way affinity is normally classified.
Still, if he had to combine everything, he would say his affinity grade had reached EX-Grade.
Auric focused on absorbing one element at a time. Of course, he had to be careful so as to not go past 100%. He still had the same limitation as everyone else when it came to evolution after all.
Once he reached 95%, he started to slow down and make sure that he stopped at exactly 100%.
Just like the other elements, he successfully reached 100% and continued to his dark element.
While the process was the same, Auric grew even more excited. If he had an avatar, this would be the time for it to evolve, after all.
He wondered if he would receive anything from this milestone.
His answer came the moment his dark element reached 100%. This way, all his elements had finally reached 100%.
Name: Auric Elfe
Element: (Fire 100%), Water (100%), Lightning (108%), Wind (126%), Earth (124%), Plant (108%), Light (100%), Dark (100%), Unique (100%)
"Kh..." Auric suddenly gritted his teeth.
"!!!" Maya glanced at him, wondering if he was all right.
However, Auric seemed to be enduring the pain just fine. Normally, when other people evolved, they would explosive growth in their elements.
After all, their elements’ intensity would increase fivefold once they finished their evolution.
Auric was experiencing the same thing, but this time, all his elements evolved at the same time.
Of course, when his elements first reached 100%, their intensity had grown to that level. But when all his elements reached 100%, Auric realized that the elements had also changed his body. With nine elements, that change was effectively multiplied by nine.
That was also why the pain that was normally manageable suddenly made him uncomfortable.
He could feel many things. They were mixed up so much that he didn’t even know what he was feeling anymore.
However, he knew that this uncomfortable feeling was gradually moving to his eyes.
’Ah, this...’ Auric had finally figured out what was going on. ’Lindwurm... You said that I could find the answer to whether evolution would affect me or not, right?’
"Have you found your answer?" Lindwurm smiled.
’I have.’
"When you went to the awakening ceremony, you believed you didn’t manage to awaken anything." Lindwurm nodded in understanding. Since Auric had figured it out, there was no need to hide it anymore.
’Yes. At first, I thought that way, but after this evolution, I realized something.’ Auric replied, his eyes remaining closed as the evolution process was still ongoing. He just endured it well to the point that he could speak with Lindwurm.
Besides, there was nothing he could do other than letting the elements do what they were supposed to do, so it was time to settle the debate with Lindwurm.
"And tell me, what did you awaken?"
’I believe you already know what you’ve awakened.’
"Yes. It’s your eyes. During the awakening ceremony, you awakened your eyes, rather than your avatar."
’And that is not normal.’
"Indeed."
’Is that the mistake my father made?’
"You’re half-correct, but unfortunately, I can’t say more after that. However, I can tell you one thing. The clue to that answer is the thing that your father wants me to tell you once you evolve all your elements to rank 3."
Auric fell silent. He realized that the secret he would receive might be more important than he had imagined.
He would be able to figure out what happened to his body and why he was different from the others.
’I see.’ Auric contemplated. ’I awakened my avatar. Normally, when someone evolved their avatar from the baby form to the juvenile form, their element intensity would increase by a few times. I’ve experienced it before.’
"Indeed. But their avatar will also evolve into its higher form. However, you haven’t received that benefit."
’In other words, instead of my avatar, my eyes will evolve. This is the benefit that I will get after evolving all my elements to the same level.’
"Yes. It ends up getting separated because your avatar, or in this case your eyes, are tied into nine elements. The elements behave normally, which is to increase their intensity once they reach a certain point, but the avatar has yet to reach that point. This is different from how it works for others, whose avatars are tied to one element."
Auric had figured out the situation. Even when he reached rank 3, his elements would still evolve first. ’But doesn’t this mean that my elements can keep up even if I push them to the highest rank?’
"Indeed. There will be a time when you will have difficulty finding unique element users. At that time, your unique elements might get stuck. What you can’t enjoy is having your eyes evolve, but your elements can still keep up with others’ elements."
’How about the next evolution? It’s supposed to increase my senses. How about the evolution after that? It grants you a transformation. There are two more stages after that...’
"I know what you’re worried about. Short answer. You won’t be able to do what they can do. Instead, if you manage to reach that rank, your eyes will evolve. Even I can’t predict what kind of ability your eyes will possess at that time."
’So, I have to rely on my eyes, which might not even have fighting abilities...’
"Don’t worry about that. There is already a plan that will allow you to transform as though you possess an avatar. Sadly, I don’t have the authority to give you that information yet."
’It looks like my father already knows this is going to happen.’
"Yes. Your condition might be the result of a mistake, but he’s trying to solve that mistake in one way or another. As for whether he has succeeded or not, it’s up to you to decide whether he has."
Auric took a deep breath. He could feel his evolution was about to end.
"Huuu..." Auric exhaled deeply as he gradually opened his eyes.
In that instant, his eyes widened in surprise.
"This is..." Auric gasped, as he couldn’t believe what he could see.
"Auric? Are you done?" Maya asked.
Auric just remained silent because he was mesmerized by what he could see.
In his vision, the world had become brighter, not because he had been granted night vision or anything similar.
Instead, he could see particles floating upward. The particles were in a much more concentrated form, making them look as big as snowflakes.
They were flowing upward in slow motion. Their movements were organized, so watching them didn’t make him feel motion sickness.
However, he couldn’t help but realize how hard it was to look far away because the particles were blocking his vision.
Before, he could see the particles in one’s body, but after the evolution, he could see the particles all around the world.
Most of the particles in this place were white or black. They represented the light or dark elements.
Still, other elements existed, although there weren’t many of them.
Nevertheless, he was amazed by the particles. They looked like fireflies lighting up the darkness.
He tried to squint his eyes to see if he could change his vision, but he couldn’t.
’I might have to experiment with these eyes further, but I definitely want to say something.’ Auric smiled. "This world... is so beautiful."
Auric looked up. With his current eyes, he could actually see through the barrier easily. How many elements had combined to form that barrier? He could see it all. If his power were enough, he might actually be able to separate those elements.
Auric turned to his teacher. Fortunately, when he saw a human, he needed to squint his eyes to see what was inside them. He realized the ability to see through an object still required him to squint and focus his vision in one spot.
However, he also noticed something. There were traces of energy lingering around her shoulder.
Curious about the theory in his mind, he asked, "Teacher... Did a beast just hit you in the shoulder?"
"!!!" Maya had fought against over ten beasts when protecting him. One of the beasts managed to reach her.
Although she blocked it, Auric wasn’t supposed to be able to tell that she had been hit.
"How did you..." Maya gasped.
Even Auric was surprised. His eyes could see the trace of energy lingering in the air. If he used this ability correctly, he could track people like this. At the same time, he might be able to determine what kind of treatment others had received or what injuries they had suffered.
All he needed to do was follow the trace of energy.
"Energy doesn’t lie." Auric smiled. He had gained something of unimaginable value to an evolution master.
"Energy? You’re probably the only one who can say that. I don’t understand what you’re talking about, but good for you." Maya sighed. "Anyway, congrats."
"Thank you. Let’s sweep this place quickly."