Free Web NovelChapter 17: Aether Dominion Civilization (2)
The two boys walked deeper into the rural forest, completely unaware that someone is silently following behind them.
As they walked, the twins happily chatted about the inheritance their grandfather had mentioned.
"Hmm, do you think there’ll be a treasure weapon inside the inheritance? Maybe a sword that can summon flames or something flashy?!"
Although the twins looked almost identical, Daniel could still distinguish them through their clothing and mannerisms.
The one who spoke was Harold Azikiel, a cheerful young man dressed in a yellow shirt. His calmer twin, Arthur Azikiel, stood beside him wearing a blue shirt.
"Harold like I said, don’t overthink it too much. The higher your expectations are, the greater your disappointment will be."
Although he sounded calm, Daniel could still sense the excitement hidden within his voice.
"Tch, can’t I at least dream a little?" Harold respond while pouting slightly.
Eventually, the twins stopped in front of a massive tree.
Arthur stepped forward first, stretching out his hand before pressing a barely visible button hidden within the bark.
The next moment, a mystical phenomenon occurred.
A deep rumbling sound echoed from beneath the ground, followed by the voice of an old man.
"What follows you closely, yet remains untouchable?"
The moment they heard the familiar voice, the twins froze.
They bit their lips, trying to suppress the sadness surging within their hearts. Their earlier excitement instantly vanished, replaced by somber expressions.
Memories surfaced in their minds. They recalled their grandfather constantly giving them riddles when they were children.
The blue-shirted twin answered solemnly.
"It’s a... Shadow."
After his answer, the old man’s warm laughter echoed through the forest once more.
"Correct. Next... What grows bigger the more you take away something from it?"
"A hole..."
This time, Harold was the one who answered the question. His voice sounding gloomy and melancholic.
After that, it asked a few more questions. Finally, the ground began to tremble, and the grass beneath them slowly vanished, revealing a steel entrance hidden beneath.
At the center of the steel door was a lotus etched into its surface, while four small holes could be seen beneath it.
Each hole represented a different type of wine—sweet, bitter, sour, and salty.
The twins had secretly saved up money to gather all four wines.
Although some of it had been stolen, it was only a small portion, so no one had noticed.
Slowly, the twins poured each of the wines into their corresponding holes.
Daniel silently observed them from the shadows.
He wasn’t surprised that the requirement was four different wines. After all, unbeknownst to the two twins, their grandfather had once been a top-tier figure in this world.
One of the Seven Sages, specifically known for his love of fine wines.
If I obtain this legacy within the next month, no student from Earth in any academy will be able to rival me... Not even those from Stellar Academy.
Thinking about it, his heart stirred with even greater anticipation.
Stellar Academy was the number one academy in the Aether Dominion. It was where most of the SS-Class and S-Class awakened individuals gathered.
Although the twins appeared ordinary at first glance, they were far from simple individuals. If they were to inherit this legacy, their true talents would finally be able to shine.
Their synchronized intellect was flawless. With this inheritance, they would eventually become renowned figures capable of creating powerful artifacts and treasured weapons.
These two are destined to shake the technological foundation of the Aether Dominion.
Daniel thought quietly.
Unfortunately for them, he needed that legacy to make his strength soar. Daniel had no choice but to end their lives.
"F-finally—"
Before the twins could rejoice, they heard something.
Swoosh.
As soon as the entrance to the legacy fully opened, a flash of light swept past.
In an instant, both twins were beheaded.
Blood gushed out like fountain, his eyes radiating cold indifference, as if the two lives he had just taken meant nothing.
"Thanks."
His voice was low and emotionless.
His gaze didn’t held any pity. After all, if he wanted to grow stronger quickly, plundering opportunities from others was the most efficient path.
Besides, killing them was as easy as cutting grass.
They hadn’t even awakened their systems yet. Their bodies were no different from ordinary teenagers.
In this world, weakness itself was a sin.
The Aether Dominion was only the second strongest civilization in terms of military power, and conflicts with rival civilizations were constant.
If war were to break out, and he lacked sufficient strength, then death would most likely be the outcome awaiting him.
With the calamities that the Aether Dominion would soon face, along with the constant invasions of abominations, the situation was becoming increasingly dire.
Although the Seven Civilizations had been established since the very first era, known as the Dawn of Light, their profound foundations did not make them invincible.
If enough external pressure was applied, even a great civilization could fall.
Before the First Era, the world had been ruled almost entirely by abominations.
Then, the first batch of humanity had been transported into this world.
That was when the First Era was born.
It was also the moment the Seven Civilizations were established.
Realizing he was overthinking things, he shook his head and cast those thoughts from his mind.
He first wiped the blood from his katana before using his inventory to summon various cleaning tools.
He had long prepared for this.
After all, this world possessed extraordinary investigative abilities. Killing two innocent teenagers might cause some trouble if traces were left behind.
But even if he were discovered, it would not matter much. He had awakened an A-Class system.
In terms of value, those two could never compare to him.
After cleaning the bodies and erasing all evidence, Daniel finally stepped forward and descended into the hidden entrance.
The moment his foot touched the first step, torches lining the walls ignited one by one.
The once pitch-dark entrance was gradually illuminated, revealing a long stone staircase that extended deep underground.
As Daniel observed the place, his heart began to race in excitement.
He walked downward without hesitation, his footsteps echoing softly through the narrow passage.
Everything was exactly as he had expected.
...
At the academy, a girl with long ivory hair and sharp emerald eyes stood calmly on the training ground stage.
Her soft, delicate skin that looked smooth as pudding, while her crimson lips and beautiful features made her captivating to both men and women.
Beside her stood six large puppets guarding her. Each was as tall as a person, they were faceless and resembling that of a lifeless mannequins.
"Hmm... These fully armed puppets could at least contend against a First-Stage abomination."
"I wonder how strong this ability will become once she reaches level twenty."
The principal commented with deep amusement as he watched the performance.
One of the instructors also decided to give his evaluation.
"Yes, it’s honestly surprising that the boy is still holding his own against three of them."
On the stage, Ren Ladir—the same person who had fought Daniel earlier, was now currently battling against Lorraine.
With fierce and determined eyes, Ren swung his greatsword against the three puppets surrounding him.
"Admit defeat. You have no way of beating me," Lorraine murmured coldly.
Ren tightened his grip on his greatsword. His gaze slowly dimmed as exhaustion finally began to surface.
After fighting three puppets for half an hour, such fatigue was only natural.
The spear-wielding puppet lunged first, thrusting forward with perfect precision.
Ren quickly sidestepped, but before he could counterattack, the mace-wielding puppet swung downward.
Bang!
Ren raised his sword just in time, though the impact forced him back several steps.
"Crap..." Ren gritted his teeth.
Before he could recover, the third puppet silently appeared behind him, its blade stopping just inches from his neck—signifying Lorraine’s victory.
"Really... How am I even supposed to get close to you?"
Thud.
Exhausted, Ren collapsed to the ground. Medics quickly arrived to heal him while Lorraine scoffed coldly before turning to leave.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
"As expected from someone with an S-Class awakened system!"
"Heh, if she wins this competition, I’m confessing to her!"
"Hmph, as if she’d accept someone with a D-Class system. Most likely, Kael and Lorraine will end up together." freeweɓnøvel.com
As Lorraine walked through the training ground, she overheard the ridiculous conversations around her.
She paid them no mind and instead searched for someone among the crowd.
Her gaze swept across the huge training grounds as she muttered inwardly, a complicated emotion surfacing within her.
Sigh... My dear little brother, I expected more from you.
Lorraine, having watched his earlier performance, felt somewhat disappointed.
At this rate, Daniel would most likely end up in the lowest classroom after this competition.
