[You've come across a unique battle art...]
[Does the host wish to bond with it?]
For the first time since he stepped into the vault, the system had come alive.
It had responded to a scroll placed among a pile of useless scrolls not needed by the clan.
Raziel didn't know what to make of it. He felt something suspicious, but at the same time, when staring at the scroll, he felt a peculiar feeling.
"Where have I seen this before?" He tried to rack his brain for answers but failed terribly in the task.
He wanted to curse himself for sealing parts of his memories.
But given the peculiar feeling, he knew it couldn't be just simple. If it was sealed along major parts of his memories, then it was something that would be able to boost his strength greatly.
He struggled to decide. The infamous Abyssal Edge Art or the mysterious Black art star.
Thinking about the Black Art Star, he knew the risks were high, but his gut feeling never failed him.
"Arghhh."
Ruffling his head, he finally made a choice. "It's for the best." He told himself as he picked the scroll with a black star etched at the back.
Raziel could tell the scroll was still new. Its silvery frame still shining brightly.
[Are you sure you want to bond with the Black Star Art?]
"Dammit! Yes!" Raziel answered slowly, retracing his steps back. He would need to go through the scroll and begin learning whatever it entailed. He hoped the art was a complete one.
Raziel suddenly stopped in his tracks, eyes narrowing as he stared at the scroll on his hand. The scroll was fading into wisps of dark mist.
At the same time, the system echoed in his head.
[Binding successful!]
[You've received a Primordial Technique–Black Star Art!]
[Stages: 9–currently incomplete]
A primordial level art!
He thought, letting out a sharp breath. Damn! He didn't know what to call this.
Luck?
Hell no. This was beyond luck. "Hehe."
He chuckled as he slowly recovered from his dazed state.
If things could just go on like this, then it won't be long before he regains his lost powers.
Just you wait. I'll make sure I destroy every one of you.
...
In a dark room, lit up by pale blue candles, a figure let out a soft hum.
"He chose a random art for the Clan Ancestral Art? Interesting. You keep on surprising me more and more."
"I'd hope I was right about you. Don't disappoint me."
...
The door slowly shut tightly after a figure walked out.
His gaze landed on the figure lying on a large bed just metres away from the door.
"What the hell is this?" Shaking his head, he walked forward, stopping before the figure.
Sigh.
"You can keep pretending to be asleep, I'll find my way back." He said before walking away.
"Hmphh. You're no fun." The figure said, her voice echoing in his mind.
The bed instantly vanished with the figure appearing beside him. Staring at his empty hands, she raised a brow.
"Where's the art you chose?"
Raziel stared at his empty hand before staring down at the little star symbol now etched on his wrist.
"It's somewhere safe," he said after a moment of silence.
"Ahhh. I see." Avina didn't bother to ask much, casually following beside him.
They worked the remaining journey in silence, and before long, Raziel was back in his room.
He didn't forget to remind Avina about proceeding with the registration process for the academy.
Exhaling softly, he crashed on his bed, blanking out for a couple of seconds before finally moving.
System status, he muttered softly.
Glancing past the rest, he finally found what he was searching for.
At the top corner of the panel, another tab had been added.
[Black Star Art: ??? ]
[Level: Primordial art]
[Stages: 9–Currently incomplete]
[Ist stage: Darkheart (Foundation of the Black Star art): The first stage of the Black Star art is a breathing technique which helps in circulating and refining the flow of energy within the body through the meridians and back into the heart]
[2nd Stage: Darkstride (locked)]
[3rd stage: ???(Locked)]
...
[9th stage: ??? (Locked)]
Aside from the first stage, the rest of the stages were greyed out with not much information.
"I guess I have to learn the first stage to unlock the second. No time to waste then."
Settling on his bed and taking a meditative position, Raziel closed his eyes.
Knowledge of the first stage of the Black Star art–Darkheart–slowly filtered into his head. It seemed he was receiving the knowledge directly.
After a few minutes of going over the transmitted knowledge, he finally began.
The first part was feeling the world's energy within and slowly moving it around the body.
After breaking into the Initial realm, Raziel was able to feel the strange energy flowing within. Now, all he needed to do was take control of it.
He had heard that controlling the world's energy within one for the first time was said to require quite the effort.
But why did it feel natural to him?
He didn't spend up to five minutes before he succeeded in grasping the energy. The next stage was easier–slowly moving it around his body.
Minutes turned to hours as he continued with his task, moving the energy over his body and back to his heart. At first, he was careful, scared of injuring himself, but as minutes flew by, his speed increased drastically. He felt a prickling sensation over his skin as his insides began to heat up.
Beads of sweat dripped to the bed. Raziel remained in that state for four hours until he felt a heavy pulse of energy resonate within his heart.
Sensing he was nearing a breaking through, he upped his speed. His heart let out another pulse, his body shivering from the process.
At last, the long awaited moment finally came. The pain started from his heart and then spread quickly to his whole body.
Raziel felt pain as his heart lurch tightly as if trying to squeeze out all the blood within. The same thing was happening to the rest of his body.
"Ughhh," he collapsed on his bed, unable to bear the pain again. He lay, knees tucked in his chest with his hands wrapping around it. Time flew by before the process gradually came to an end.
Too tired from the whole process, Raziel drifted into a deep sleep.
...
The pungent smell was what welcomed him.
Scrunching his nose, he rose from the bed, rubbing his still sleepy eyes.
"Uhhh... why are my hands wet?"
Trying to clean his eyes had only earned his face on getting smeared with the dark reddish liquid around him.
"Huh. Where did this come from? What's with the smell... urghhh." His eyes shot open instantly as he fully came to his senses.
Looking at the bed, he noticed it had been dyed dark–red. Staring down at his body, he noticed his body was covered with the same fluid.
"So that's where the smell is coming from. I need to tidy up." Rising from the bed, Raziel quickly rushed into the bathroom.
An hour later, he was refreshed with his bed dressed in a new wrap. The old one had been stored in his storage ring, a storage space created through space magic and tech.
His was a low–level one.
Raziel couldn't help but notice the change in his body. "I've broken into the middle stage." He muttered to himself with a small smile .
As if to confirm his thoughts, the system panel popped up before him.
[Congratulations! You've breakthrough into the Initial realm: Middle stage]
[Host has finally reached the minimum level of strength for his first mission!]
[ATTRIBUTES]
[Strength: 18--> 23]
[Agility: 17--> 22]
[Stamina: 10 --> 15]
[Vitality: 20 --> 30]
[Intelligence: 15]
[Perception: 12 --> 17]
[You've received the Green Spatial Card...]
[Mission will begin once the card has been activated...]
This... Raziel was short of words.