Free Web NovelChapter 5: Time Will Tell
Under the catatonic gaze of the crowd, Priam grabbed the kneeling opponent by the throat, lifting him up with a bit of effort.
[Absorb?] [Yes / No]
’Yes,’ he whispered with a faint smile.
Othon was seized by an inexplicable force. Excruciating agony tore through his spirit as the essence of his Bloodline was drained away, expelled from his blood toward Priam.
It moved directly into the hand, gripping his neck, entering the Nexus Seed without any commotion.
Priam didn’t hesitate to act in front of everyone, because he knew that everyone in that arena was a below-average mage; otherwise, they wouldn’t be there just watching fights for fun. In short, their senses were pathetic, and they wouldn’t suspect a thing.
Everything happened in a flash. Before anyone could even understand what they had just seen, Priam released the body; the impact of the lifeless figure hitting the ground was the only sound to break the arena’s silence.
...
"Priam wins!"
After a few seconds of silence, the voice of an elderly man echoed out, the one responsible for the arena and the registration of participants.
Poor Othon was lying on the ground without moving, looking like a dying corpse. But he was definitely not dead.
Priam took a deep breath, reflecting on the cursed power of the branch. He realized that even if he was weaker, if he managed to hit an opponent several times, the amount of accumulated curse energy could leave them completely disoriented.
But putting that into practice would be pretty difficult; not everyone was a pathetic and weak idiot like that guy. His weapon only worked for a surprise attack; after that, he would have to fight for real.
Priam stepped down from the stage toward the elderly man and received the sword used as the wager, along with a spatial ring containing six thousand black gold coins.
Those rings were extremely common among the mages of that world, being cheap and practical to use. Priam also had one, and inside it existed a space of two square meters.
The rules stated that both fighters had to hand their wagers over to the referee before the fight, both to demonstrate fairness and to reduce the chances of someone backing out during the battle.
After receiving the sword, Priam handed it directly back to Flaris. Storing the spatial ring inside his robes.
He couldn’t help but feel somewhat excited. Although six thousand black gold coins wasn’t much, he already had a few ideas that could help with the desperate situation his mother was in.
Under the attentive gazes of countless people, the two of them left without any hurry.
The news that Priam had defeated someone known for his strength and talent in such an... overwhelming way... spread through the city like wildfire. In no time, practically the entire city already knew.
The news intrigued countless people. How could someone so insignificant have suddenly become so difficult to deal with?
But even with so many witnesses, and with the news that Othon had to be carried back to his estate, many people still couldn’t fully accept the situation.
As for his stolen Bloodline, he would only remain weakened for several days. Afterward, since he had been born with it, the remaining traces of his Bloodline would naturally recover. Because of that, it would be extremely difficult for anyone to discover that Priam had stolen it from him. freewebnovel.cσ๓
...
After leaving the arena behind and walking through the city streets for some time, Priam wanted to split the winnings, but Flaris firmly refused.
"What are you talking about, cousin? We’re family, don’t treat me like a stranger. Even if you had lost my sword, I wouldn’t have cared. But... what happened to you?" she murmured, staring seriously into his eyes.
Priam sighed.
"I think I’ve... finally discovered my talent. I was just a little later than normal. I heard there are all kinds of Mages in the world; sometimes, those people only discover their potential and begin their rise later in life. That seems to be my case."
Priam said something random, but Flaris immediately nodded and smiled, a genuinely happy light shining in her eyes.
[An ally’s Loyalty has evolved]
[Flaris Ylisse] [Loyalty: Extremely High (UP)]
[Achievement Bonus Acquired!]
[+500 GP]
Upon reading the green screen, Priam’s eyes widened in surprise.
Then, he finally focused on Flaris, viewing her entire status.
[Name: Flaris Ylisse]
[Race: Vanculari / Fem-Ignis]
[Magic Title: Physical Mage Acolyte, fifth level]
[Karmic Title: Azure Empress]
[Bloodline: 60]
[Anima: 60]
[Fate Wheel: 90]
[Loyalty: Extremely High]
The two walked side by side through the city streets, and Flaris, lost in thought, didn’t even notice Priam’s stunned expression.
’How does she have such an incredible Fate Wheel?’
The values ranged from 1 to 100, but besides her Fate Wheel, both her Anima and Bloodline were also above average. In other words, adding those three attributes together, she had the potential to become a truly grand figure in the future, if she was given the opportunity.
’Azure Empress... so Flaris was an incredible Mage in a past life. That explains her amazing current stats.’
Priam stopped overthinking it and simply felt happy. She was practically his sister, and he trusted her completely. Seeing her loyalty toward him, he was now certain that she trusted him just as much.
As for loyalty, that status had seven levels: Terrible / Low / Neutral / High / Extremely High / Unshakable / Transcendent.
Priam didn’t know why the system wanted to show him other people’s loyalty. But after seeing that he had received a reward because Flaris’ level in that aspect had increased, it became obvious that the system wanted to encourage him to interact with more people. frёewebnoѵēl.com
Thinking about that, Priam saw more screens appear.
[Daily Missions:]
[05 GP] [Daily Muscle Training] [Progress: 90%]
[05 GP] [Daily Study and Learning] [Progress: 70%]
[05 GP] [Daily Humanity Check] [Progress: 70%]
’Oh! That fight counted for a lot. Exploring my abilities and interacting with Flaris also counted quite a bit. Great, I don’t need to go around looking for random strangers to interact with every day.’
Priam reflected excitedly, although right after that, he felt like he had a serious problem on his hands. He was used to being alone, and he genuinely didn’t like talking to anyone he didn’t trust. The system forcing him to do that now made more and more sense.
At that moment, Flaris focused her gaze on Priam.
"You really won without using Ether... your footwork was pretty bad and weird, but your reaction speed was terrifying," she lightly analyzed the previous battle, placing a hand on her chin.
"But when you pulled out that... branch? Your attacks were perfect, hitting that idiot’s openings at the very first opportunity. With a bit of proper training, your combat skills will become even more incredible."
Priam took a deep breath. In fact, because the curse inside the branch had been placed there with the help of the Nexus Seed, he had complete control over that power. When using it, it was as if he became one with the branch, able to attack almost like he was moving an arm through pure instinct. No other weapon would give him the same effect.
She continued. "One question. Did you really choose to become a Catalyst Mage?"
"My Jade Core still hasn’t completely condensed yet. That’s why I didn’t use Ether during the fight. So, you could say my class still hasn’t been fully defined."
He answered with a half-truth because he didn’t know what would happen, since the system seemed to reject a Jade Core.
The foundation for creating a Jade Core was the same for everyone, and when it was close to condensing, that was when the class had to be defined.
Arcanist Mages possess a black-colored aura. They specialize in damage and use raw power to destroy crowds. Extremely lethal, but vulnerable without allies or equipment to protect them.
Fighter Mages possess a red-colored aura. They are masters of fast and offensive combat. Focused on close combat or long-range attacks, they eliminate enemies quickly with concentrated force. They need defensive support to stay safe, although some can be fast enough to escape.
Physical Mages possess a green-colored aura. They strengthen their own bodies with Arts, allowing them to achieve incredible defenses and regeneration. They act as supreme tanks, combining endurance with relentless combat training in order to win battles.
Catalyst Mages possess a blue-colored aura. They are manipulators of materials and energies, using them to create things. They produce talismans, arrays, pills, weapons, and all kinds of unique and sometimes strange items. Although they specialize in creation, they can transform their tools into extremely powerful weapons during combat.
Holy Mages possess a white-colored aura. They are strategists and support units, capable of influencing the battlefield through healing, barriers, and environmental control. They do not cause direct damage, but in certain situations, they can become lethal.
Mystic Mages possess a silver-colored aura. It is the rarest and most versatile class. They do not specialize in a single path, possessing the unique ability to alternate between the roles of all the other classes, adapting perfectly to any strategic need. The downside is that they do not truly excel at anything.
Priam had tried to become a Catalyst Mage in the past and failed.
Now, he wondered what would happen if he fought without displaying any of the common colors, since he didn’t possess a Jade Core.
’Time will tell...’
