TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 49
Beads of cold sweat rolled down Kraush’s forehead.
After taking the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill, Kraush could endure it, undoubtedly.
However, enduring didn’t mean he was free of pain.
His body was heating up from the pill’s fiery energy, raising his body temperature, and faint wisps of smoke escaped from his mouth.
Amidst this, Kraush closed his eyes, absorbing every ounce of the pill’s power into his body.
Normally, the pain would prevent such intense focus, but Kraush managed to do it.
[ Truly a madman. ]
Crimson Garden shook her head as she watched Kraush.
Come to think of it, the Annihilation Erosion technique Kraush had developed was a skill that inherently came with excruciating pain.
After all, it was a reckless move that ignited his internal organs to the point of being cooked.
He should have realized it back when Kraush performed it without batting an eye, but since it was used so naturally every time, the realization came late.
‘If he can endure reconnecting the nerves of a severed arm, what can’t he endure?’
Although Crimson Garden spoke bluntly, she felt a tinge of pity deep down.
Regressors inevitably lose pieces of themselves with each cycle.
Yet, even among regressors, Kraush seemed particularly worn down.
To maintain sanity in such a state could be considered a talent in its own right.
‘Or perhaps, he’s merely clinging to a singular sense of purpose to see his goal fulfilled.’
Crimson Garden gazed silently at Kraush, who was absorbing the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill.
What kind of life had Kraush lived before his regression?
She couldn’t know, as she didn’t belong to that world.
All she could sense was that the Kraush standing here was walking a perilously thin tightrope.
‘Good grief.’
Why did he have to catch her eye?
With a mix of irritation, Crimson Garden stepped in front of Kraush.
[ Even if you collapse, I will force you to rise again. ]
Her voice wouldn’t reach Kraush at the moment.
He was focusing all his concentration on absorbing the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill.
There was no room for Crimson Garden’s words to penetrate.
[ So don’t even think about falling, no matter what happens. ]
Still, Crimson Garden continued speaking.
[ I will make sure you keep your promise. ]
Until that moment, Crimson Garden resolved to hold on to Kraush no matter what.
Swish—
And a moment later, Kraush’s eyes began to open slowly.
His blue-tinged eyes reflected the figure of Crimson Garden.
“Crim, did you say something?”
His demeanor felt different from before.
He had successfully absorbed the entirety of the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill.
Kraush had taken yet another step forward in his growth.
Feeling this with certainty, Crimson Garden perched on Kraush’s shoulder.
[ Nothing. ]
She held onto the faint hope that someday, Kraush would take away her immortality.
* * *
The Nine Dragon Transformation Pill.
Having experienced its effects firsthand, Kraush realized the true power of this elixir.
‘It forces the body to overcome nine thresholds.’
The body grows stronger each time it overcomes a threshold.
This characteristic also applies universally to aura.
Thus, the world says:
You grow stronger through experience.
‘I’ve gained plenty of experience, but my body hasn’t.’
The experiences from his regression had certainly shaped Kraush.
However, translating those experiences into physical growth was a separate matter.
But the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill was different.
It made the body and aura undergo nine trials they hadn’t experienced before.
Through relentless destruction in pain, the body and aura would be restored by the pill’s effects.
What happens after repeating that nine times?
The answer was simple.
‘The realm has risen.’
Kraush clenched his fists tightly.
The vitality surging through his body was noticeably greater than before.
Among the improvements, the most remarkable growth was in his aura.
Kraush, who had been lingering at the upper limit of Intermediate Expert, had surged to the peak of Advanced Expert in an instant.
With just a bit more effort, reaching the pinnacle of Expert didn’t seem far off.
‘If I combine it with World Erosion…’
He might even stand before the wall of Master.
‘But that’s not all.’
As he absorbed the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill, Kraush realized that his aura’s very quality had changed.
Aura is often likened to water.
This is because aura can be categorized in two ways.
The first is quality.
The second is quantity.
The quality of aura depends on how pristine its origin is.
Just as water is classified as first-grade or second-grade, aura is similarly rated by its quality.
Kraush excelled in this qualitative aspect.
The secret techniques in Balheim’s library all focused on enhancing the quality of aura.
Thus, Kraush naturally honed the quality of his aura.
However, there was no way to solve the issue of quantity, even with such secret techniques.
For the average person, their aura is contained in a very small pool.
That pool is so tiny that frequent use of aura dries it up quickly.
Therefore, those who handle aura strive to forcibly expand their internal reserves.
Such endeavors require grueling effort and time, and overreaching could lead to self-destruction.
In contrast, there are those whose aura quantity is as vast as a lake.
These individuals use aura freely from the start without effort and seemingly without end.
The world calls them geniuses.
Ironically, such geniuses also expand their aura reserves at a faster rate.
This is because the power to expand aura reserves ultimately comes from aura itself.
Thus, no matter how much an average person strives, they cannot catch up to a genius.
That is the nature of the world.
Kraush’s aura reserves were also within the realm of the average.
Over the past year, he had worked tirelessly to expand them, yet they remained at a mere puddle’s size.
Aside from his superior quality, there was no way to match those geniuses who possessed lakes of aura.
But the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill resolved this issue.
‘A lake.’
Kraush’s eyes widened.
He could feel the endless surge of aura flowing through his body.
‘My aura has become a lake.’
The vast aura reserves that geniuses were born with.
No matter how hard he worked, it had always seemed unattainable.
But now, it was different.
Finally, he had the foundation to stand on the same level as the geniuses.
That fact brought Kraush an unparalleled sense of joy.
Had he not resolved the issue of total capacity, he would never have surpassed the wall of a Master.
But now, such concerns were no longer necessary.
At the very least, he now possessed the foundation to move forward.
[Are you pleased?]
At that moment, the voice of Crimson Garden echoed.
Kraush slowly lowered the corners of his lips that had risen.
“No, it’s far too early to be pleased with just this.”
He had merely come to the same starting line as the geniuses.
They had possessed such talents from the beginning and cultivated them to grow.
And Kraush knew stars even more brilliant than those geniuses.
The Sea.
Beings with boundless aura that made a mere lake pale in comparison.
And they were the monsters who would lead the forefront of the Skyborne Generation.
‘And I will devour every single one of them.’
Today’s growth was nothing more than the groundwork for swallowing them whole.
Thus, it was far too soon to feel any joy.
Kraush felt the impurities being expelled as the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill settled within him.
Normally, they would have been pushed out of his skin, emitting a foul stench, but Kraush did not let them escape.
Instead, he activated Ignis within his body.
And the impurities were immediately consumed by Ignis and burned away.
[Truly relentless.]
Yet Crimson Garden seemed oddly pleased with Kraush’s response.
“How are you feeling? Okay? The ingredients seemed pretty dangerous.”
While Kraush was absorbing the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill, Darling had noticed and voiced her concern.
There was a hint of worry in Darling’s eyes.
Though she had created it for him, she knew what Kraush would endure was no ordinary ordeal.
Seeing this, Kraush shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
“I’m fine. The performance is second to none.”
Once again, Darling felt Kraush was a genius.
“Ah, that’s a relief.”
Seeing that, Darling let out a breath of relief.
After all, she didn’t want to see him die unnecessarily because of the elixir.
“What about Bianca?”
At that moment, Kraush realized Bianca was unusually quiet.
When he turned his head, he saw Bianca fast asleep under a blanket Darling had draped over her.
She must have fallen asleep while waiting.
“I was going to take her to a room where she could sleep, but she insisted on staying.”
“Even if she had gone, she would’ve woken up and come back.”
Because she was Bianca.
Kraush turned and approached Bianca, gently stroking her head.
Her expression softened slightly at his touch, inexplicably bringing him a sense of peace.
Watching this scene from behind, Darling chuckled softly.
“You both really dote on each other. Is this what being fiancés is like?”
“We are engaged, after all.”
That was an unchanging fact.
“I’m jealous. Hmm, engagement… Do you think I could get engaged to Charlotte?”
“If you say that in front of my sister, she’ll have your head.”
“You’re right, aren’t you? Then I guess I have no choice. Should I settle for being one of little Kraush’s concubines instead?”
Kraush paid no mind to Darling’s uproarious laughter.
Watching Kraush’s indifference, Darling smiled mischievously.
Kraush really was fun to tease.
“Kraush, you’re enrolling in Rahelrn Academy next year, right?”
When she asked, Kraush nodded as if it were a given.
“That’s great. Then I’ll go ahead and be there first.”
At those words, Kraush’s eyes widened in surprise.
As if to ask, “Why would you?”
It made sense, considering Darling had previously chosen not to enroll in Rahelrn Academy with Charlotte.
“You’re going next year, aren’t you? I want to hear my junior Kraush call me ‘senior’ for once.”
To think she would decide to attend Rahelrn Academy for something like that.
Kraush made a dumbfounded expression.
“…Rahelrn Academy doesn’t operate on a conventional grade system.”
“I know, it just uses cohorts instead. And you have to pass exams to advance to the next class, right?”
Judging by her response, Darling had clearly been preparing for Rahelrn Academy.
“And besides, I want to be classmates with Charlotte for once.”
But her next words were unexpected.
Kraush’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Why would my sister go to the Academy? She’d rather roam the World Erosion than attend.”
“I have a feeling. Charlotte will be enrolling at Rahelrn Academy this year.”
Darling smiled knowingly as she stared at Kraush.
Kraush didn’t understand her reaction, but she was confident.
She was certain Charlotte would join the Academy before Kraush did.
“I’ll be waiting a year from now. Don’t take too long—it’s lonely.”
Seeing Darling speak like a wife sending her husband off to work, Kraush clicked his tongue.
“Suit yourself.”
Regardless of whether Darling entered the Academy or not, his own plans to enroll remained unchanged.
And so, on March 1st—
The day Rahelrn Academy officially opened its doors for the first time—
Rahelrn Academy made a name for itself by welcoming an unprecedented gathering of geniuses.
And it wouldn’t be long before Kraush confirmed that Charlotte had indeed enrolled among those geniuses.