On the morning of the same day, Caelrisu dragged her aching body out of bed.
Every inch of her skin was bruised, her arms throbbed, and her legs felt like lead. Still, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to move.
"Ugh… another glorious morning," she muttered sarcastically, limping out of her room.
Her first stop was the Clan Library.
Finding Lunaris wasn't difficult. He was exactly where she expected him to be: buried behind a fortress of books, still flipping through pages like a machine. If not for the occasional rustle of parchment, one could easily mistake him for part of the furniture.
"How long have you been holed up here, Lunaris?"
He turned his head slightly, dark circles drooping like bruises beneath his eyes. His silver hair looked unkempt, his once-immaculate uniform wrinkled beyond recognition.
"Since the day before yesterday," he said flatly. "I've only left for breakfast and dinner… and to train at night. I can't train here in the open."
"Wow," she blinked. "You must have finished all the books by now, then."
He exhaled, a sound halfway between a laugh and a sigh.
"Sadly, no. Not even ten percent."
He closed the book and finally looked at her, a faint smirk tugging at the edge of his lips.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Oh, I wish for some Martial Arts book. Mainly Essence Technique."
He chuckled, low and tired.
"It seems you can't defeat him at all, can you?"
"If you're just going to tease me," she huffed, turning around, "I'm leaving."
"Wait, wait, sorry." He stood and stretched his back with a series of pops. "Come with me. I know exactly where to start."
They walked quietly through the maze of bookshelves, the scent of aged parchment and dust thick in the air.
Eventually, they reached one of the far corners of the library, a section rarely visited by anyone their age.
To Caelrisu's surprise, the place wasn't empty. Dozens of young men and women sat scattered around the corner, most emanating the faint glow of 2nd Rank Verdant Souls, and one, radiating a stronger essence, clearly at 3rd Rank.
"I thought this place would be deserted," she whispered. "But there are so many Awakened here."
Lunaris smiled faintly. "Unlike the children our age who chase flashy moves, they've seen the danger of the outside world. So, they study Martial Arts and Magic to survive. Though…" he gestured vaguely, "they mostly only touch the surface, unlike you."
"Is that so? But why don't they go deeper?"
"Time," Lunaris replied simply. "Reaching the level of a Peak Master or a 5th Circle Mage, both equal to Rank 3 Verdant Soul, takes decades if you focus on nothing else. Even then, it demands monstrous talent. Most people, even after training all their lives, never go beyond the 1st Rank or 3rd Circle."
He paused, recalling the information he read previously, "From what I've read, even in the Ancient Eastern Continent, less than 0.01% of martial artists ever reached the Peak. For Mages, that number drops to one in a hundred thousand."
Caelrisu whistled softly. "Wow… You really are amazing, Lunaris."
"I know," he said without hesitation, smirking.
He knelt beside one of the lower shelves, pulling out several worn, black-bound books. "Let's see… these should do. A first-class breathing technique modified into an Essence Technique, used by an assassin organization from the East. This one's a movement technique, silent, fast, and designed for close escapes. They surprisingly used broadswords, so it's helpful to you."
Caelrisu tilted her head. "But why are you giving me assassin techniques?"
"So, you can run away if you need to."
"…"
Lunaris stood and handed her the manuals. "No need to get sentimental. You still haven't used the favor the Clan Head granted you, right?"
"Yes."
"Good." His voice dropped slightly, serious now. "I want you to request for a spirit beast core that Father has once hunted. It was a Silent Judge-level beast. So, it should be helpful. And then guide the essence derived from it as mentioned in the manual."
"Ok."
***
Happy after achieving her goal and eager to return home to practice, Caelrisu almost forgot about Fremileo, until it was randomly jogged. She hurried toward the academy grounds.
Unlike the two siblings, who had the privilege to train privately, the others still attended the academy until reaching 2nd Rank Verdant Soul. Right now, Fremileo was sparring with an instructor under the morning sun.
After being beaten to a pulp countless times by Namgoong Gyo, Caelrisu could easily gauge strength now.
'The instructor's probably first rank,' she noted, watching the clash of metal and sparks.
What surprised her, though, was that Fremileo held his ground. Barely, but still, he held. When the match ended, Fremileo was declared the loser, yet the instructor didn't look pleased at all.
"That was good," Caelrisu said, approaching him as he downed water from a flask.
"Thanks," he replied calmly, without any sign of exertion from the match. "Well, what brings you here?"
She quickly recounted everything, from her humiliating loss to Namgoong Gyo to her talk with Lunaris and her new plan.
When she finished, Fremileo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm… your guess isn't wrong. The force he generates is due to his large Essence pool, likely boosted by some spiritual elixir. Combine that with his Essence movement pattern and technique synergy… yeah, that explains it."
"So, there's no way to beat him, huh?"
"Oh, there are ways," Fremileo said with a sly grin. "But your body won't thank you for them."
"Please tell me."
"What'll I get in return?"
"Money?"
He chuckled. "Got enough."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want your help once. No questions asked."
Her eyes narrowed. "Only if it doesn't go against the Clan."
"Fair enough."
"Then it's a deal."
"Good." He adjusted his grip on the katana hilt, thinking. "The first method is to overflow your vessel."
"What do you mean?"
"Think of a glass. It can hold 250 milliliters of water, right? But for just a heartbeat, you can pour in a little more before it spills over. That instant, right before overflow, is where power peaks."
She blinked. "So… I should overflow my fist with Essence at the moment of impact?"
"Exactly. More power, short bursts. But it eats through Essence and stamina like wildfire. Useful for short battles only."
"I see. What's the second one?"
Fremileo hesitated. "This one's… a bit hurtful. You'll be bursting Essence inside your body to propel movement or enhance strikes. It tears at your muscles and veins, crippling if used recklessly."
She met his gaze, unwavering. "Teach me."
After that he taught her the method, and she was amazed.
"You are a genius, Fremileo." She exclaimed.
"I know."
Fremileo said as if it was hardly anything worth mentioning.
Having received the knowledge that might increase her chances of winning, Caelrisu made her way toward the Clan Head's office. She walked excitedly as she thought of her eventual victory.
After a while, she reached the building and walked through the long corridor. She stopped in front of a heavy door.
Behind it came the gentle rustle of papers and the quiet murmur of a man lost in thought. Taking a breath, she knocked once.
"Enter," came the familiar, steady voice, yet it was extremely gentle and kind.
Pushing the door open, she found him, the Clan Head, surrounded by towering stacks of documents, each waiting to be signed by him.
'Poor Lunaris. He will have to also do the same in future.'
"Uncle," she said, stepping inside, her tone cheerful yet respectful. "I've come to ask you something."
The Clan Head looked up, a gentle smile appearing on his face, full of affection and parental love.
"What brings you here, my child?"
Caelrisu moved closer, her boots making no sound against the polished wooden floor. She stopped by the chair opposite his desk, then climbed up and sat.
"I wish to redeem the favor you promised me," she said, her gaze excited.
He leaned back, his fingers brushing the edge of a scroll before setting it aside.
"Ah, that favor," he mused, eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Yes, yes… tell me, what is it you desire?"
"I want the core of the Silent Judge Level Beast, which Father once killed."
The Clan Head's expression shifted, amusement giving way to curiosity and then worry.
"Caelrisu," he said slowly, his voice calm and gentle. "Are you sure you want that core? It could be dangerous, you know."
"I know," she replied, her tone steady. "I want that core."
A silence stretched between them as he stood up and started walking in the room as he thought deeply.
Finally, the Clan Head exhaled, with a gentle smile as he patted her head.
"Very well," he said quietly.