Chapter 36
The day the Evolve Drake quest will soon start tomorrow, Dane had to control his eagerness to join the fight, but even if he leaves now, he needs to travel a few more days to reach the location. He followed Doctor Rebecca's advice to rest until he fully recovered. He was patient and just used his free time to allocate the mana core engine in his body. He wonders about the outcome as soon as he activates the sleeping core engine.
Dane knew very well what the core engine could do, but if all information was based on the virtual game, the mana consumption would no longer be an issue as the core engine would continuously provide him with mana energy; his level after the cursed forest and cave hasn't been updated by the tower's main system; he still has 30 minutes until the restriction will be removed.
The changes Dane wanted will soon happen; the merging of his old self with his new self wasn't that drastic, but he felt more sure all his questions and doubts are gone. The anger he felt toward the past was there, but it's now more manageable. Recalling the moment when he saw his relatives again was making him feel less burdened from missing his parents. As he can now interact with his real blood family.
Activating the core will surely change everything; the restriction passed down toward him was unavoidable as he knew how to work around the scenario without instantly destroying the curse cave. From his calculation, the mana core he switched with the mana vein would last one year. In the story line of the mana vein, it was being slowly charged, changing its properties. Eventually, after thousands of years, the core changed and began to gain sentience. This unexpected development opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for the player who will discover it.
A warrior that could use mana energy continuously, as the core engine automatically replenished the used mana by converting the mana particle in the surrounding area and harnessing it for the player's benefit. This unique ability gave the player a significant advantage in battles and quests, making them a formidable force to be reckoned with in the game world.
But now the core has fussed into his body , and changing his core into somewhat like a perpetual motion device ,activating it might bring more problems , because unlike in a game mana energy was coded to only manifest upon using the player avatar skill. But not everything was real many players, tower resident mythological creatures and especially divine chaotic being can sense and even see mana energy,
" ATTENTION RECRICTION OF PLAYER ZERO NAME DANE RINNE LAZARUS WAS BEEN LIFTED"
" ANOMALY HAS BEEN REMOVE, CURRENT STUS NORMAL,"
" BASED ON THE TOWER RULES ACHIEVEMENT POINT WILL BE CALCULATED"
"REGULARITIES ARE NOW GONE; THE PLAYER HAS SUCCESSFULLY HUNTED AND KILLED CREATURES INSIDE THE CURSE TOWER AND CAVE.
"TOWER RULE S CONFIRM KILLS WERE, LEGAL AND POINTS SHOULD BE AWARDED."
"PRECEDING WITH CALCULATION BASED ON KILLED CREATURE ."
"CALCULATION COMPLETE."
"TOTAL EXPERIENCE POINT IS 1200 POINTS"
" DO WISH TO LEVEL UP."
"YES OR NO?"
"NO!"
" PLAYER CHOOCE NO, PLAYER IS STILL ZERO"
" Please allocate all points to control,"
" ALLOCATING ALL POINT TO CONTROL,"
"TOTAL POINTS FOR CONTROL HAS REACH MAXIMUM LEVEL"
"CONVERTING LEVEL TO RANK"
"1000 POINTS UP ,WILL NOW CALLED RANK D
"MANA IS RANK C"
"I can't activate the core engine here; I need an isolated place to activate it safely without causing any damage to the surroundings."
Dane could now activate his weapons; they were still inside his storage space. The tower didn't confirm his two weapons to be illegal; they are registered as just weapons. While status was admirable, 3 of these skills were already at rank level: control rank D, MANA rank C, and speed rank C, while the rest were below 300.
These 3 ranked skills can easily give a title, but this is not what we wanted. Dane wants to do whatever he wants without any attached title as it is required for him to act with the freedom he desires. Dane's ultimate goal is to use his skills for his own purposes, without being bound by any official recognition or restrictions.
He felt alive; he was hunting strong prey. The strongest prey he was able to kill was a mountain lion. The thrill of facing a lion twice as fast and big as him made him fear death and, at the same time, respect the power and strength of the animal. Using just a hunting knife, he tracked the lion for days, encountering the beast five times. At the age of ten, he never stopped pursuing his prey. He will always come home wounded as he used all his body to elude and evade the lions strikes while running at full speed.
Then Damon was able to scar the huge lion's right eye going down its jaws, while the lion claw mark was seen on the young Damon's upper left arm and became his badge of honor. But that's all in the past; the car now was long gone.
Meanwhile, back at the Lazarus main farmhouse, Emmit was talking to Addison, confirming his feelings toward the young Lazarus, who they now call Dane, to be Damon, who should be 53 years old. Addison gave a rational explanation why Damon hid this fact about him; she pointed out if it were her, she would do the same, the fact nobody would believe her anyway. Imagine the confusion and shock that would ensue if such a revelation were made public. It was clear that there are secrets not meant to be announced openly.
Emmitt agrees, saying he has his reasons: "He was the most gifted among the rest of us; his ability to separate and turn off his emotion in killing his prey was beyond extraordinary."
"This made it evident that Damon's hidden truth was not something to be taken lightly and could have serious consequences if exposed."
"Remember those times when he would always go out alone hunting the mountain lion that killed our cows? ,"
"He would always come back wounded, with broken arms, legs, and cuts from falling at the steep cliffs. It was clear that Damon's skills were unmatched, but his secretive nature raised suspicions among the entire clan.
"Yes, Damon was restless in his hunt; getting reborn into a young version of himself would be considered a miracle in itself, but when I saw him as Dane, something was missing."
"But Doctor Rebeca Windshere's abilities far exceed those of those who are known in the world."
"She is the only person that can enter the subconsciousness of a living person and bring their deepest fears and desires to the surface with just a touch."
"Her presence alone was enough to make even the bravest of warriors tremble in fear, knowing that she held the power to unravel their innermost thoughts and emotions."
"Confirming the reports that Dane just appeared at the tower, the continent was already a huge cause for concern among the entire clan; the younger generation would go berserk knowing Dane can teleport instantly toward the tower without the help of any powerful artifacts."
"Teleportation is not a big deal; many players can use this skill. There are high-tier teleportation's scrolls available on the first floor, but the issue is the amount of mana you have to consume."
"The longest distance ever recorded was a tier 2 teleportation magic scroll. That can have a man consumption of 50 per use and has a distance of 10 miles."
"Traveling from this country to the tower continent is around 4 thousand miles."
"The strongest mage today has a mana capacity of 3000."
"It's a one-way trip from here to the tower; exhausting that huge amount of mana is dangerous."
"When we played Arcane Crusade because we wanted to know what made our dear cousin Damon isolate himself and turn his back toward us, his blood family,"
"My gut feeling told me that this young man is related to us; that feeling of connection was so strong I just can't ignore those emotions."
"You are right about that, Emmitt; his backstory is absurd to the point it felt like there were missing pieces that we needed to uncover. Perhaps it was the first thing that came to his mind."
"Uncle Edward's house is just beyond the thick tree lines from our own house; he doesn't know that we have been watching ever since his parents passed away."
"We spent so many days and years protecting and molding and managing his true instinct; even Aunt Miyako saw his untamed side. Damon was different from us."
"Addison, we need to protect him again. Based on what Doctor Rebecca mentioned, she saw the darkness was now manageable as he accepted the passing of his parents."
"So why are you scared now, Emmitt?"
"If Damon or Dane witnesses another tragic event coming from his blood relative, it might trigger that
untamed side that we worked so hard to suppress. We need to be vigilant and ensure he remains on the right path."
"We can't let history repeat itself, especially now that he's beginning to come to terms with his past."
"Those 26 thugs that assaulted Aunt Miyako were seen brutally butchering inside the abandoned metal factory, and Damon was just thirteen at that time."
"All the Lazarus clan combined all of their influence and assets to ensure that Damon was never implicated in the incident."
"It was a turning point for him, and we can't afford to let anything jeopardize his progress now."
"Tell the rest what was confirmed and ask them to continue monitoring the situation closely."
"We need to make sure that Damon or Dane's past stays buried and doesn't resurface to haunt him."
A few representatives from the empire of Solnara Cererindur were back at the tower, escorting the two guilds that would now hunt the evolved Drake. The combined guilds of the East Lazarus and the White Devil were estimated to be 185, with 20 mages from the empire. They would broadcast the quest using powerful holographic orb projectors, and the main chamber, which included the open market area, featured a massive mirror that was ten feet by seven feet tall. The magic tower created this artifact.
All of the nobles and common people residing in the empire of Solnara Cererindur were waiting for the official activation and start of the quest; the two guilds were just a few more hours away as they set camp near the mountain range where the farthest town was located, the same place where the evolved Drake attacked and made its new nest.
The geographical landscape of the terrain was rugged and treacherous, with steep cliffs and dense forests surrounding the mountain range. Many different tribal groups were already watching the main attack force from afar as they prepared to engage the evolved Drake; six scouts were sent ahead to investigate the town and confirm the number of enemies in that location.
The last report about the evolved Drake was the only information the two guilds had received. The scouts returned with news of a large enemy force stationed in the small city. Different monsters and mythical creatures were seen, but the scouts pointed out that there was a huge hole in the ground, a prime location where the evolved Drake could be hiding. The hole was at the center of the small city of Lúthien, the depressing news that the place had no sign of life, but the scouts were hesitant to say certain findings as they thought it was unrelated to the task.
Until Jacob Lazarus asks them that no information is too small or irrelevant and to report everything they find, no matter how insignificant it may seem. This emphasis on thoroughness and attention to detail could be crucial in uncovering the true threat lurking in Lúthien. At the same time, Charllote Lazarus with a few high-strategy guild members were rushing toward the location. They made sure the additional titanium spears were secured inside the battle wagon..
The warhorse pulling the wagon was equipped with enchantment spells, allowing the horse to run faster and have increased stamina, ensuring they reach their destination swiftly and safely. As they neared the location, Charllote and her team prepared themselves mentally for the upcoming battle, knowing that their quick actions could make all the difference in protecting Lúthien from danger.
Charlotte Lazarus was upset considering she was intoxicated by a spy within her own guild. The person she suspected was the new recruited player serving Oliver Lazarus, who was actually a skilled potion maker. His unit was all players using potions as their main weapon, and Charlotte knew that confronting the spy would be a delicate situation, as they could pose a threat to their mission. She resolved to handle the situation with caution and gather more information before taking any action.
But as of now they need to reach their destination; she was well aware that Jacob is a good vice captain, but the chance that they will need additional manpower and weapons is a given fact. Therefore, she decided to focus on reaching their destination safely first and then strategize about how to handle the potential threat posed by the spy. Charlotte also made a mental note to discuss the situation with Jacob and assess their need for additional manpower and weapons once they arrived at their destination.
Their estimated arrival will be two days late, but considering all the information, the quest will last more than a week because of the large number of creatures following the Evolve Drake as it gains sentient intelligence. And they could have anticipated their attack plan and just waited for them to come. The evolved Drake power might be different from what was in the game. The one thing that made this task hard was the undisclosed attack patterns of the main enemy, as it was created to learn from those who attacked it, so a surprise attack is the ideal strategy to catch it off guard. Additionally, the Evolve Drake's ability to adapt and evolve in real-time makes predicting its next move nearly impossible, adding another layer of complexity to the mission.
Many spent months fighting this monster. When I was still in the virtual game, it was hard but not impossible, as many guilds were able to clear the evolved drake scenario, but this time it's different because the players lives can be taken away, death is now real, and there is no save point to back into. The stakes are higher now that the game has become a matter of life and death. Players must approach the Evolve Drake with caution and precision to ensure their survival in this new reality.