NOVEL NEXT Chap 163: Thundersnow Fangs.
My vision goes black; time feels strange — as if hours passed and at the same time only seconds. I try to focus on the Space affinity around me; although I can feel it, I don't understand it. I still can't grasp what I need for my skill. I know it's Space and how it affects me, but understanding an affinity is something different.
Finally, my vision returns little by little and my eyes manage to focus on everything around me. I'm back in the room where the hero's dungeon is hidden; nobody is waiting for me. "Well, I expected that…" I can't help sighing. The marquis had warned me about possible time differences between inside the dungeon and the outside world — nobody could afford to waste their days waiting for me.
I move slowly toward the door; it's time to find the marquis. Every movement causes me sharp pain — my body is still adjusting to the evolution and the cracks make it worse. Without my mental skill this would be impossible. I try to heal my cube a little with the small amount of mana I have and cancel the attempt a second after starting; I almost faint from the pain.
I remember the days with Susan — how I slowly healed the wounds while bearing the pain. I need a comfortable space and to improve my condition so I can mend each crack little by little. At first it will be infernal pain that will diminish as I fix the injuries.
The guard is surprised to see me and immediately bows, updating me on what happened. "About a week has passed since I last saw you, young Maki. Lady Arisa, Lady Marga and Lady Sol have been coming every day; they just left a little while ago because it's pretty late." I thank the guard before heading to the marquis's mansion.
A week? Damn, I didn't expect that — by my calculations only two or three days should have passed. "At least it wasn't worse." If months had passed things would be more complicated; a week is within an acceptable range.
I greet the other guards along the way and chat briefly. They've all been very kind, bringing me up to date without me even asking; they must be experienced in this position and know the implications of using the dungeon. I'm glad to find such courteous people when I leave.
I walk through the large garden and the cold air touches my skin. "How refreshing." I see a small table with some chairs nearby and go sit to rest and organize my thoughts before finding everyone. "This will be a bit complicated to explain…"
After a few minutes I feel something strange behind me — as if Space itself were being forced to open, like someone using their will to create a rift and the space yielding to their strength. "Has it been a long week?" I don't turn to see who it is; I can clearly feel the person's Imra. I've felt this presence countless times before.
"Yeah, I've been living behind the desk these days." Julio takes a seat next to me and drops his shoulders, testing how tired he is. His actions make me laugh; I have to stop because moving makes my whole body hurt. "Did you manage to clear all the floors?" His expression changes in an instant — his smile returns and his eyes gleam with curiosity.
"Yes. It wasn't easy." We look at each other and laugh at the same time. "It was hellishly difficult; each floor pushed me to my limit. Without any one of my skills it would have been impossible to clear them all." I look at my hands as I clench them.
Before being bombarded by questions, I prefer to go over each floor one by one — I don't leave out a single detail. I explain the type of monster, how I overcame each challenge, how I fused two skills, and everything related up to the final floor.
He tells me a bit about his experience too; we had similar but different challenges. Some monsters varied greatly, especially on the early floors, while others were similar. It's refreshing to hear his story — he tells everything with enthusiasm, like asking a genius about something he loves.
Hours pass as we compare the differences in each run. Talking with him relaxes me; it feels like talking with an older brother. He reminds me of the TV shows from my old life when they introduce a witty, interesting character — often the rich uncle who lives freely.
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"So, what were your rewards?" I don't hesitate to reveal them; he's someone I can trust with my life and I also need to ask about the Hero Mark.
"I claimed these swords." I summon the twin swords from my cube, bearing the pain as I do. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" They look even more spectacular in the moonlight.
"They truly are." Julio examines them from different angles. "They remind me of the twin fangs of a snow-tiger type monster that has Electricity and Ice affinity. You could call them Thundersnow Fangs." Thundersnow Fangs? It sounds imposing and powerful.
"I like that name — I'll call them that from now on." My affirmative reply makes him smile; I return his happiness with my best smile.
"Let me test something." I feel his Imra and mana attempt to interact with the sword and something odd happens. "As I thought, it only responds to you. If anyone else tries to use it with their skills, mana, or Imra it won't work." That surprises me — it must have additional runes and enchantments I haven't discovered yet.
Julio hands me one of the swords, extends his left arm and lowers his Mana and Imra defenses. He uses the sword in his other hand to cut his skin. Amazingly, it draws a thin thread of blood. I'm totally shocked to see his arm bleed; that sword has phenomenal sharpness. If it can harm a Diamond-rank as strong as Julio, this is no ordinary weapon. Of course he lowered his defenses, but it's still impressive.
"It's very sharp and must be made of a potent alloy; not any weapon can overcome a Diamond-rank's natural defenses." He hands me the sword back. "You've got a weapon that could accompany you your whole life." I stare at the Thundersnow Fangs for several seconds — I love them even more now.
"That wasn't all. Because you finished second, you received a Hero Mark. Do you know what that is?" Julio's eyes widen when I tell him, then return to normal a second later.
"Yes, I got one too. Right now it's hard to explain because you haven't reached Sapphire rank yet; ask me again when you do and I'll explain better. If I explain it now you won't understand everything." My face falls a bit; Julio chuckles. "At least I can tell you this: it's impressive and can make you stand out among others of the same rank." I understand from his words — the dungeon already gave me a small explanation.
"You know…" I look at Julio who is staring at the sky and follow his gaze to the huge moon overhead. "I was the fourth-fastest to clear this dungeon… now I'm the fifth. I never doubted your skills — I was sure you would surpass me and you didn't disappoint." His voice makes his words weigh heavier.
"Maki, the world is changing very fast lately; I have a bad feeling about the future." If someone so strong senses something bad, it must be a catastrophe. "I don't know when, where, or how it will happen, but something will occur in a few years — that's what my instinct tells me." I grow serious; if a catastrophe comes I must be prepared for anything.
"I'll do everything I can to avoid involving innocents, although of course it's impossible to save everyone." He turns to me and offers a gentle smile while still looking at the moon. "I hope I can count on you if something happens." The request feels heavy — like a backpack hard to carry.
"Don't hesitate to ask, uncle. If I can do anything for you, I will." I don't lie when I say it — I must repay his kindness. "If a catastrophe comes, I'll give everything I have to endure it." I clench my fist thinking about the worst; I won't let the relatively peaceful life I have now slip away.
"Hearing that from you is encouraging, Maki. You'll become someone as strong or stronger than me in the future; it's comforting to know I can rely on you when I need it." He lowers his head to look at me, raises his fist and I raise my arm to bump his fist.
Pain hits me, but I endure it. This pain is nothing compared to the weight of his expectations. "You've already given me a lot; if I can repay some favors, there's no problem."
"Talking with you is fun. If I didn't look at you directly I could confuse you with someone my age." I manage an awkward smile at that; I've heard similar comments before. Years of memories make me seem older — I rarely acted like a kid, always training to be stronger; I speak like someone older most of the time and only relax with the girls and my grandmother.
"I've heard the same since I was a child." I can't blame them — I never cared much for childish things. "That's why older people respect you and kids see you as a leader they can follow." His words make me reflect — I'd never seen it that way.
"It's time to go home." With a wave of his hand the space around us shifts; in an instant we're standing in the training room at Camux's house.
"The three girls have been worried about you — they've been waiting a whole week. Don't make them wait longer." Julio waves goodbye. "By the way, about that damaged cube — we'll talk tomorrow. I trust you can repair it or we can ask Gase for help." It's impossible to hide something like that from someone so perceptive; he already knows.
"Thanks. I'll come by tomorrow." I smile as Julio disappears as quickly as he arrived — in the blink of an eye.
The moment I enter the house I hear a scream from the three of them, already running toward me… this is going to hurt.