Journey Of A Legend

"War?!", thought Greg shockingly after hearing what the man said.

He thought back to the moment when he was back in that gigantic tree palace with Joe. He clearly remembered what that creature, which called himself Kragnas, said to him before with a creepy smile while his whole body got frozen into an ice sculpture.

"Brat, listen carefully. Maybe you won this time, but don't think even for a second that we are finished like this. When the time comes, humans will taste what real despair is, and as for you..."

Every word that the creature said to him before he was pushed out of the zone was clearly inside his head. At that time he didn't understand it, but now after hearing the word 'war' insanely knew that there will be truly a huge calamity.

Or you can't even call it war, because with the current level of the humans it wouldn't be exaggerated to say it will be a total massacre.

"So that time he meant this. Now that I think about it if he wanted to he could have easily killed us there, but for some reason, he didn't. Could it be..."

Greg thought about a reason why that man didn't use his full power to kill them right there and then, but that would be ridiculous.

As he thought about this, he looked at the man on the side next to Russ and asked, "How much time do we have until then?"

The man put his fingers before him, showing that he was calculating something. A while later he put down his left hand and with the other one he showed a two.

"We have two years from now on, however, if I add that one of the Six came here and failed his mission to kill you, it could decrease a mere year."

"So what should we do now?", asked Greg calmly while he started to think about a way how he could cultivate his Art as fast as possible to the next Grade.

"First we need to make sure that none of those spies find out your location. Like I said the best choice would be to make them believe that you are dead, but after seeing how that devil wanted you it would make things even more complicated, so for the beginning let's stay with Plan B.", said Russ from the side and pointed at the mask on Greg's head.

"First, we need to make sure that you won't use that mask ever again. Or simply until you finish the Evolution step."

"Why?", asked Greg confusedly as he touched the demon mask on his face.

"Why? You ask why? That artifact in your possession gives out an immense amount of power and for those who want to find us just makes their search much easier, so please stop using it."

Understanding the reason behind what Russ said Greg nodded and without any hesitation, he took it off and made it vanish back into his Soul Stone.

As the two men saw this happening looked at each other with a surprise not believing that an artifact can behave like a Soul Creature. It was totally new for them.

Greg saw as the two men were a bit startled so he frowned slightly.

When Russ felt Greg's confused gaze he cleared his throat and with a slow nod, he said, "Thank you. Now let's get onto the second thing you need to do. Take out that black cube you found not long ago."

Greg's eyes instantly grew wide after hearing what Russ said and asked, "H... How did you know that I have it?"

"Isn't it obvious? We gave it to you.", answered the man with the gas mask next from Russ's side.

"But why?"

"It wasn't you the only one who got something like that. Every person who we thought had the potential or the slight chance that could complete the Evolution step successfully got that.", answered Russ as he crossed his arms before his chest.

"And how many did you gave out so far?", asked Greg curiously as he slowly took out the black cube from his shadow.

Looking at the cube in Greg's hand Russ just simply shook his head and after raising his hand he showed four fingers out of the five.

"Four? From how many? It should be a hundred because you said there are only a very few who can do it."

However, Russ just shook his head again for what Greg said and answered with a dead serious face, "From more than a million."

"..."

Greg hearing that huge number couldn't believe it no matter how hard he tried. Just imagine it, more than one million people and out of that vast amount, only a mere four people had the potential to successfully break through the last rank.

And what could be even worse than this is that this four people it's not 100% that all four of them had what it took to finish the Evolution step. 

"This is a bad joke right?", asked Greg after a while from Russ.

"Unfortunately no. I wasn't joking around when I said it is very hard to succeed in it. But let's not talk about this and let me show you how to use that thing."

Taking out a same-looking cube from his pocket, Russ started to explain, "This thing maybe looks a bit complicated to use but after you get the hang of it, it won't be hard to utilize. The first thing you need to do is that you push this little cube here with this symbol on it."

After turning it around to make Greg see what the symbol looked like, Russ pushed it slowly, making the whole black cube to give out a strange clicking sound in an instant.

*Click!*

Doing just what Russ did, Greg turned around the cube in his hand looking for the same symbol too.

After turning it around here and there he finally found it, so with a slow push, he too pressed it.

And in an instant, as he did...

*Click!*

With the same clicking sound, the cube in his hand started to loosen making it even easier to turn its sides here and there just like a professional Rubix Cube.

"Well done, now pour a bit of power into it and start to turn the symbols into whatever position you want.", said Russ calmly and waited for Greg to do what he just said.

With a nod, Greg did just as he was told to and started to pour Alice's power gently into the cube.

The process was exactly the same that he needed to do at the Guardian testing, but unfortunately at that time, he broke the device, so this was why he started to gently pour his power into the cube not wanting to break it too.

However, the moment a very small amount of his power got inside the cube, the symbols on it lit up and suddenly Greg felt a strange power to cover his whole body.

"Splendid, now look here.", said Russ calmly to Greg.

Raising his head, Greg suddenly saw a mirror before his face, but the moment he saw what was inside the reflection, his eyes widened in an instant.

" Who... Is that me?", asked Greg with shock as he saw an old-looking man with a long beard inside the mirror's reflection.

As he put his hand on the long and tufty beard that came down from his chin Greg's shock grew a level bigger than before and said with disbelief, "It's... Real? But how?"

"We obtained this cube under our time we were looking for a way back to earth. This little thing can change your look and the only thing you need to do is to fuel it once up with an 'x' amount of your power and from then on it will make your appearance stay as it is like now."

While listening to Russ's explanation Greg tilted his head here and there and asked, "Can I change my look?"

"Yes you can.", answered Russ with a smile and continued, " The only thing you need to do is to turn one side of the cube.

With a nod, Greg looked at the cube and started to turn its left side forward.

In an instant as he did, a new feeling swept through him making him know that his look has definitely changed.

Looking at the mirror again, Greg saw as his old look now was nowhere to be seen only a young man who was in his twenties.

Black hair, smooth skin, brown eyes, and a sharp chin. Everything that could make a woman drool in an instant was looking back at him from the reflection of the mirror.

"Amazing", said Greg with admiration as he looked at his new look.

"Now that you know this too, if the time turns dire for you this little thing can become very helpful for you, so don't lose it."

Hearing this Greg nodded and after deactivating the cube's power he put it away and asked, "Thank you l very much."

With a smile, Russ smiled and with a wave of his sleeve a small portal appeared before him and said, "Let's go."

"Where?", asked Greg with a tilted head.

Russ hearing this question stopped walking and after turning his gaze at Greg he smiled slightly and said, "To our base."