Chapter 49
Drip drip…
Cold sweat trickled down Kraush’s forehead.
After consuming the Nine Crying Dragon Transformation elixir, Kraush was certainly holding up.
But it was merely bearable, not devoid of pain.
His body was heating up from the elixir’s effects, raising his temperature, and light smoke wafted from his mouth.
Amidst the haze, Kraush closed his eyes, fully absorbing the power of the elixir.
Typically, the pain would have hampered such focus, but not for Kraush.
[ This is practically madness. ]
Crimson Garden shook her head in disbelief as she watched Kraush.
Come to think of it, the Flame Erosion technique Kraush had developed originally came with tremendous pain.
It was insane enough to set one’s insides ablaze till they almost cooked.
She should have caught on long ago when he did it casually, but everyday use had dulled her realization.
‘Well, if he can withstand reconnecting severed nerves in an arm, what can’t he endure?’
Though Crimson Garden spoke bluntly, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity.
Regressors clearly get worn down over time.
Yet, Kraush seemed to be one of the more deeply eroded among them.
Maintaining his sanity while enduring all that was quite a talent, for sure.
‘Or maybe he’s just holding on because he’s hell-bent on achieving his goals.’
Crimson Garden continued to gaze at Kraush absorbing the elixir.
What kind of life had he lived before his regression?
She had no way of knowing, not being from that world.
All she could faintly sense was that the current Kraush was precariously balancing on a tightrope.
‘Good grief…’
Why does he have to catch my eye like this?
With mixed feelings, Crimson Garden stood in front of Kraush.
[ If you crumble, I’ll forcibly pick you back up. ]
Right now, her voice wouldn’t reach Kraush.
He was maxing out his concentration to absorb the elixir.
There was no room for her words to slip in.
[ So, no matter what happens, don’t even think about falling apart. ]
Yet, Crimson Garden continued to speak.
[ I’ll make sure to keep my promise. ]
So, until that time, Crimson Garden planned to stick by Kraush’s side.
Swish—
Moments later, Kraush’s eyes began to flutter open.
Crimson Garden reflected in his glowing blue irises.
“Kri, did you say something?”
His aura felt different from before.
He had fully absorbed the Nine Crying Dragon Transformation elixir.
Kraush had taken another step forward in growth.
Crimson Garden could feel it without a doubt as she perched on his shoulder.
[ Nothing. ]
She merely anticipated that someday, he’d come to take her immortality.
＊ ＊ ＊
Nine Crying Dragon Transformation elixir.
Having experienced its effects firsthand, Kraush realized the true power of this potion.
‘It forces the body to endure nine trials.’
Each trial makes the body stronger for the next.
This property applied to aura as well, creating a universal truth: one must experience to grow stronger.
‘Though I’ve had plenty of experiences, my body hasn’t quite caught up.’
The effects of regression had clearly impacted Kraush.
However, it was a separate story whether that experience translated directly into physical strength.
But the Nine Crying Dragon Transformation elixir was different.
It subjected the body and aura to nine trials they had never faced before.
Both the body and aura were continuously shattered and healed through the elixir’s effects.
What sort of outcome would arise after repeating that nine times?
The answer was simple.
‘My realm has increased.’
Kraush’s fists clenched tightly.
The vitality he felt within his body was obviously far superior to before.
Above all, the most noticeable growth was none other than his aura.
Having lingered at the edge of Intermediate Expert level, Kraush had skyrocketed to the brink of Advanced Expert in an instant.
With just a little more effort, the Top Expert level didn’t seem far off.
‘And if I add world erosion on top of that…’
He might even stand at the threshold of Master level.
‘That’s not all.’
As Kraush absorbed the elixir, he realized that the very quality of his aura had changed.
Aura was often likened to water.
This metaphor arose because aura could be divided into two aspects.
The first was quality.
The second was quantity.
The quality depended on how pure the water was.
Just as water is classified as first-grade or second-grade, aura levels also varied based on quality.
Kraush was quite proficient when it came to this quality aspect.
The mana techniques residing in Valheim’s library all emphasized the importance of aura quality.
Thus, Kraush naturally refined the quality of his aura.
However, there was no way to resolve the quantity aspect with these techniques.
Normally, the aura of an average person is contained in a tiny puddle.
That puddle is so small that once the aura is drawn from it, it quickly dries up.
So, those who handle aura strive to expand that puddle by force, which requires backbreaking effort and time, risking self-destruction in the process.
Conversely, some are born with an aura that fills a lake, living without effort and utilizing their aura extensively.
The world calls them geniuses.
Ironically, those geniuses also expand their aura quantity faster.
The ability to widen their aura is derived from the aura itself.
Hence, the average person can never catch up to a genius, no matter how hard they try.
That’s just how the world works.
Kraush’s quantity of aura fell within the average person’s range.
After a year of trying to expand it as much as possible, he was still only at the puddle level.
Aside from being qualitatively excellent, there was no way to compete with geniuses with lake-sized auras.
But the Nine Crying Dragon Transformation elixir resolved that issue.
‘It’s a lake!’
Kraush’s eyes widened.
He felt his aura flowing through him endlessly like a spring.
‘My aura has become a lake!’
The quantity of aura that geniuses naturally possessed.
It was the very quantity he had thought unreachable, no matter how much effort he put in.
Yet now, it was different.
He finally had the foundation to stand on par with geniuses.
That realization brought unparalleled joy to Kraush.
Had he not resolved his quantity issue, he would never have crossed the Master level threshold.
But now he didn’t have to worry about that.
At least, he had the groundwork to move on to the next stage.
[ Are you happy? ]
Just then, he heard Crimson Garden’s voice.
Kraush slowly lowered his raised lips.
“Not really; I’m far from being happy over this.”
He had barely reached the same level as a genius.
They’d held that talent for ages, expanding it as they grew.
And Kraush knew of brilliant stars that surpassed those geniuses.
The ocean.
Those who possessed an endless aura far beyond a mere lake.
And those beings were bound to emerge as the top monsters among their generation.
‘And I’ll devour every last one of them.’
Today’s development was merely the foundation for that feast.
So, it was far too early to rejoice.
Kraush sensed the waste material expelled by the Nine Crying Dragon Transformation elixir.
If it had to be, it should’ve surged outward through his skin, reeking horribly, but Kraush held it in.
Instead, he activated Ignis from within.
As a result, the waste was consumed by Ignis and burned away.
[ What a stubborn one you are. ]
Despite her scorn, Crimson Garden seemed to appreciate Kraush’s response.
“How about you? Are you okay? There were quite a few risky materials in there,” Darling asked, having realized Kraush had absorbed the Nine Crying Dragon Transformation elixir.
Worry glimmered in her eyes.
While she had made it for him, she fully understood the ordeal he was about to undergo.
Seeing that, Kraush shrugged nonchalantly.
“I’m fine. The effects are unbeatable, no doubt.”
Darling couldn’t help but feel impressed by him once again.
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
Her expression lightened as she realized he was safe.
She didn’t want to witness a needless death caused by her elixir.
“And Bianca?”
Amid their banter, Kraush noticed Bianca’s unusual silence.
Turning his head, he found her fast asleep, snuggled beneath a blanket Darling had provided.
Guess she got tired waiting.
“I was going to take her somewhere she could sleep. But she insisted on staying.”
“She would have woken up and come back anyway.”
Because it was Bianca.
Kraush turned to approach Bianca, gently stroking her head.
The subtle relaxation of her expression under his touch brought an unexpected sense of comfort.
Darling watched silently from behind, stifling a giggle.
“You two are really doting on each other. Is that how fiancés behave?”
“Fiancé status is accurate.”
That remained an unchanging truth.
“I’m jealous. Hmm, being engaged. I wonder if I could get engaged to Charlotte.”
“That’ll get your head chopped off if you say that in front of her.”
“Probably, huh? Guess I can’t do that then. Maybe I should settle for being little Kraush’s mistress?”
Ignoring Darling’s playful remarks, Kraush rolled his eyes.
Seeing his reaction, Darling grinned widely.
He truly was a delight to tease.
“Kraush, you’ll be entering Rahern Academy next year, right?”
As she asked, Kraush nodded, as if it were the most obvious thing.
“Perfect! I’ll go ahead of you to set things up.”
At that moment, Kraush’s eyes widened in surprise.
It was akin to asking why she would do that.
Of course! Darling hadn’t joined Rahern Academy alongside Charlotte in the past.
“You’re going to be there next year? I want to hear ‘senpai’ from Kraush, after all.”
Hearing that, Kraush’s expression twisted in disbelief.
‘You’re going to be attending just to hear me call you that?’
“That academy doesn’t have a regular school year, you know.”
“Hey! I know it only separates by year groups. And you have to pass tests to advance to the next class!”
From her reaction, Darling seemed to have prepared herself for Rahern Academy already.
“And I want to be classmates with Charlotte, too.”
But then her next words changed the mood.
Kraush furrowed his brow.
“Why on earth would you want to attend the academy? Unless you plan on venturing into world erosion directly, it’d be pointless.”
“I think I know the reason. Charlotte’s going to enroll in Rahern Academy this year.”
Darling fixed her gaze on Kraush, a smile dancing on her lips.
Though Kraush was clueless as to why, she was certain.
Charlotte would definitely enroll in Rahern Academy before Kraush could.
“I’ll be waiting for you a year from now. Don’t take too long. It’ll be lonely.”
Seeing her speak like a wife sending off her husband, Kraush clicked his tongue.
“Do as you please.”
Regardless of whether Darling joined the academy or not, he would be going anyway.
And thus, on March 1st.
The day when Rahern Academy opened its doors for the first time.
Rahern Academy became renowned for welcoming unprecedented geniuses.
Shortly after, Kraush would confirm that among those geniuses, Charlotte had enrolled.
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