Chapter 180: Evolution
< Chapter 180: Evolution (2) >
Oh heavens! Im here!
Dragon Lord entered Heavenly Gods room with a bright face.
How many times have I told you, you should ask for permission before entering
I was right!
Dragon Lord leaned in close to Heavenly God and grinned.
Could you clarify? What exactly were you right about
Its true! Kang Seo-yul is Adams apostle!
What?
Behind the mask, Heavenly Gods eyes widened in surprise. However, the shock lasted only a moment. Soon, a calm and collected expression returned to her face.
Did he say that himself? That he is Adams apostle?
If so, it might be something to doubt.
Maybe he wants us to think he is Adams apostle, trying to make us let our guard down
But Heavenly Gods calm face quickly changed to one of astonishment again.
No! I saw the evidence myself.
Ev, evidence?
Yes. Kang Seo-yul didnt even utter the A in Adams apostle.
Heavenly Gods mouth opened slightly.
What kind of evidence
If Dragon Lord is making such a fuss, it cant be ordinary evidence.
Adams Mark!
At her answer, Heavenly Gods eyes widened in astonishment.
You mean, Adams Mark? The origin of all species? Adams blessing?
Thats what Im saying! And its not an ordinary mark.
Dragon Lord emphasized the point.
The Mark of Adam itself isnt ordinary. Thats obvious.
The Mark of the High Elf.
What?
I said, the Mark of the High Elf! High Elf! Euhaha!
Dragon Lord laughed heartily.
Heavenly God narrowed her eyes as if she was suspicious.
Is there such a mark? The marks I know of
There must be marks for the 16 races. I know that too. Ive only seen 16 kinds myself.
Of course, neither of them had seen the actual thing. They had only seen the shape of the mark passed down through stone tablets. And those were merely replicas.
But what can you do? The mark of the Elf Race on Kang Seo-yuls shoulder
Dragon Lords eyes sparkled.
It was even an evolved mark of the Elf Race. You have to believe it.
A much-evolved mark
Heavenly Gods expression grew serious.
Youre not making a fuss over an ordinary tattoo, are you?
Dragon Lord glared at Heavenly God with dagger eyes.
What do you take me for? Ive checked with my dragon eyes and even touched it with my hands. Im sure. Its the Mark of Adam.
I had never seen such a flow of magic before. No, I dont even know if its magic to begin with. It was that mysterious of an aura.
So, everything he said is true?
Yes. 100% true.
Dragon Lord repeatedly nodded.
Kang Seo-yul is the High Elf who came back from the future to save this world, and the apostle of Adam who received power from Eden
A glint flowed from the Dragon Lords eyes.
He is the savior and our hope.
However, Heavenly Gods expression was ambiguous.
Is there something bothering you?
No, its not that
Heavenly God hesitated before asking.
Has Dragon Lord, by any chance, had any strange dreams? Like someone appearing in the dream
For example, Kang Seo-yul whom she met yesterday.
Dream? Do Angels even have dreams?
We dont really need sleep, so Ive never really dreamt
Heavenly God, returning to her usual expression, shook her head slightly.
No, please forget what I just said.
What is it? Now its bothering me.
* * *
After Dragon Lord disappeared without responding to my words,
The Mark of Adam
I met Edels sparkling eyes head-on and sighed inwardly.
I never expected you to have such a legendary mark on your body
I didnt expect that using the [Silent Assassin] in that situation would evolve the mark.
No, the evolution part is great. But why does it shine through the clothes?
And why was Dragon Lord looking at me exactly at that moment?
Because of that, I was caught red-handed regarding the Mark of Adam.
Still, its not a bad thing.
Dragon Lords reaction was favorable. I dont know what hes thinking, but I dont believe being caught with the Mark of Adam will have any negative effects on me.
If this leads to better cooperation with the Savior, its a huge win.
A glint appeared in my eyes.
The Mark of the High Elf
I was jolted from my reverie by Edels mumbling.
Thinking about it again, you truly are amazing.
Edels gaze was too dazzling.
Her eyes were so bright, it felt like the Milky Way was embedded in them.
Ah, Edel. About this matter
Oh, I know! You want it kept a secret, right?
Yes. Can I trust you with that?
Of course! My lips are sealed!
Edel made a gesture of locking her lips.
I couldnt help but smile at her cute act.
Thanks. Ill head inside first.
Okay. Take care!
Just as I was about to turn and head back to my room,
Oh, right. We were talking about how to use that Wind Arrow, werent we?
Ah!
Edel seemed to have momentarily forgotten as well. Granted, the Mark of Adam did have quite the impact.
Hmm. Todays timing is a bit off Are you free at this time tomorrow?
Considering that the Elf Races mark should be in a deactivated state now, it shouldnt be a problem.
Since its activation was just for about a minute, by tomorrow the mark should be reactivated. By tomorrow morning, I should be able to demonstrate and teach its detailed usage.
Of course! As long as I dont get any sudden deployment, Im free anytime!
Okay. Then lets meet at this time tomorrow.
Yes!
* * *
After returning to my room, the first thing I did was take off my shirt and stand in front of the mirror.
It really has changed.
The mark on the top of my right shoulder.
The Elf Races mark had transformed quite spectacularly.
Just as Dragon Lord mentioned, the World Tree was in full bloom, surrounded by fairies, with the trees leaves encompassing it.
This must be the Mark of the High Elf.
Considering Dragon Lord, who mediated this world for 4,000 years, said so, it must be accurate.
Anyway, its now certain.
Every time I use an ancient relic or, in terms of this world, an artifact my mark evolves.
Both the Demon Races mark and the Elf Races mark changed in form right after using a new artifact. Its clear.
The fact that I used the Elf Races artifact the most until now supports my hypothesis.
The next step is to determine the effects of the evolved mark.
I have a rough idea of the effects.
As the mark evolves, it likely activates the advanced characteristics of the respective Race.
For instance, for the Beastman, it could be the Blessing of the Beast King, Bloodline, Adrenaline, Bloodline Acceleration, and so on.
For the Elf Race, it could be Beauty of Nature, Natures Guardian, Child of the World Tree.
Becoming a High Elf probably means I can utilize all these characteristics. Thats my guess.
The key is whether theres an increase in capabilities.
When the mark evolves, perhaps using the artifact of the respective Race boosts abilities.
Its my personal hope, but it would be nice.
Should I check using the Demon Races artifact?
Not just waiting for the Elf Races mark to reactivate the form of the Demon Races mark has changed as well.
Ive been holding back because I was worried about excessive magic consumption
Wouldnt it be okay for just a short while?
Come to think of it, I should also test my abilities using the necklace I took from Lilith for the Mongma Race.
Oh, right.
Remembering the Mongma Races necklace reminded me.
I still have some experiments left to do.
I picked up the bag of nothingness I had placed in a corner of the room.
And took out two artifacts.
I wonder what happens when using two Races artifacts simultaneously.
To conduct this experiment, I took out the Greatsword of the Beast Race I borrowed from Alfheim and the Necklace of the Mongma Race I recently seized from Lilith.
At that moment.
Zap, sizzle!
A fierce current surged.
Ouch, damn!
Feeling an intense pain unbearable to hold onto, I quickly let go.
Whoa
Severe burns appeared on the hands that had been holding the two artifacts. It wasnt even 0.1 seconds, and I already had such burns.
So it doesnt work.
It seems using the artifacts of two Races simultaneously is not possible.
Thats a bit disappointing.
The realization that I couldnt use multiple racial artifacts simultaneously hurt a bit. It was a fun method I looked forward to using against the Unknown.
Look, just by holding it for 0.1 seconds, its already turned black.
I chuckled as I gazed at the Mongma Races mark, which had quickly turned from white to black, and the mark of the Demon Race.
Just then.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
I heard someone rushing toward this direction.
Bang!
My room door was flung open roughly.
A very flustered Luna, with cold sweat on her forehead, exclaimed.
Son-in-law! The magical aura of the Mongma Race in this room right now
It seems the magic of the Mongma Race leaked out from just that 0.1-second touch.
I should give up on testing the capabilities enhancement with the Demon Races artifact.
I made that resolution.
Luna! The magic in this room
Oh my goodness! Did you just feel that?
Following Jin and Rena,
As I observed the horde of people rushing in, I resolved once again.
That magic just now leaked from this necklace. I was trying an experiment
Ah!
So thats what happened.
I shouldnt use artifacts of the Races affiliated with Demonic Faction in such close quarters.
I dont want to be wrongly labeled a traitor for no reason.
* * *
That night.
Unable to sleep, I strolled through the garden. Due to the wartime circumstances, the garden hadnt been properly maintained,
Yet the ruggedly blooming flowers and tree branches held their own charm.
I wonder how Jia and the others are doing.
Perhaps it was because of the conversation about the past, present, and future with Ai. Today, in particular, I found myself missing and worrying about Jia and the others.
Thats probably why I cant sleep.
Itll be okay, right?
A groundless fear crept in.
The anxiety of the possibility that their existence might disappear due to my actions surged within me.
Even though I believe itll be okay
As I told Ai, the probability is much higher that whatever I do in this past timeline wont affect the modern timeline where I originally belong.
The mere existence of Ai and me is proof of that.
But its not 100%.
Thats the nature of hypotheses.
Theres no such thing as 100%.
And thats whats terrifying.
If my actions lead to their disappearance
Chills run through my entire body.
Even if I believe this is the best approach
Fear is still fear.
Whether its a 5% chance or even 1%.
Imagine having to press a switch where, at a 1% chance, all of your close friends would perish.
How many would not be afraid to press it? No matter how low the probability, if the penalty is great, fear inevitably rises.
Sigh
As I was lost in thought, letting out a series of sighs and gazing at the sky,
Oh, ancestor.
Edel.
I ran into Edel, who was in light sleepwear.
Woke up from sleep?
Yes?
She had an expression as if asking how I knew.
Your hair.
Whether she had been sleeping or not, Edels hair was unusually disheveled.
Oh.
I approached Edel and straightened out her tousled hair.
Ah, thank you
Perhaps she felt embarrassed showing such a disordered appearance.
Edel expressed her gratitude with a slightly flushed face. Every gesture of hers reminded me of Jia.
Its okay.
I gently patted her head and looked straight into her eyes.
Why are you taking a walk at this late hour instead of sleeping?
Edel gave a weak smile.
Just I couldnt sleep because of a dream.
A nightmare?
No, not a nightmare. Just a rather intriguing dream.
Leaning back, Edel scanned the ruggedly blooming flowers.
What kind of dream was it?
Then, she squatted down, tenderly caressing a red flower, a gentle smile gracing her face.
I dreamt of training with you, ancestor.
Watching the picturesque sight of Edel, I also broke into a smile.
Were you excited about learning a new technique tomorrow morning, which led to such a dream?
Could it be?
Edel smiled sweetly.
That intriguing dream you spoke of, is that all there was to it?
No, theres more.
That night, Edel stood up from her spot and faced me. As if competing with the moonlight, Edels golden hair shone even more brilliantly.
I played with the princess in my dream.
With an unfathomable expression, she stared intently at me.
With Rena? Where?
Was it a reflection of her desire to get closer to Rena? I asked nonchalantly.
It was a place Ive never seen before. Perhaps, wasnt it your home, ancestor?
A place in my home shes never seen before?
I felt an odd sense of dj vu at her words.
In that place, I played with the princess and a girl with a bright, beautiful smile.
A girl with a bright, beautiful smile
We cooked together, looked at a sparkling wall, and had dinner with you, ancestor, who returned late.
My pupils seemed to tremble a bit. I had an inkling of what Edels dream might signify.
And we went to a place like a school. We studied together, ate, and trained.
With a distant look in her eyes, Edel smiled softly. I just gazed at her, stunned.
When I was in danger, you saved me, ancestor.
The more I heard, the more I felt convinced about my hypothesis.
Its fascinating, isnt it? In a completely unfamiliar place, with people Ive never met, I laugh and chat. Its very enjoyable.
A sadness clouded Edels eyes.
Since meeting you, ancestor, I have this dream every night.
Edel looked up at the sky. The Milky Way painted a beautiful night scene.
Its a happy dream, but strangely sad. Thats why I keep waking up from it. I wonder why?
Eyes shining like the Milky Way stared into mine.
Ancestor? Why are you making that face?
Edel approached me with a worried look. What expression was I wearing to make her look at me like that?
Are you feeling unwell?
I didnt know.
Ancestor?
I didnt have the presence of mind to consider my facial expression right now.
Are you really feeling ill
Edel.
I called her with a trembling voice.
Yes?
That dream the one youve been having recently.
Ah, yes.
With trembling lips, I cautiously asked,
In that dream were you ever called by a different name?
Edels eyes widened slightly.
How did you know? That I was called by another name in the dream.
My lips trembled even more severely.
Shin Jia.
It was a smile as beautiful as the roses in the garden.
In the dream, I was called Shin Jia.
I felt a sense of numbness in my head.
< Chapter 180: Evolution (2) > End.
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