CHAPTER 248: RETURN

"What is the reason I got the Causality Points after killing Boris?"

Azrael muttered under his breath, lost in deep thought.

His best guess was that he had received the Causality Points because of using his class skill — Absolute Decree.

There were several reasons behind this conclusion, but the most significant was that, when he had used Absolute Decree, he had been able to wield the Power of the World.

While using that power, Azrael had felt that he could achieve absolutely anything he desired.

However, the reason he had only been able to use it to strengthen himself during the battle was that he had been far too weak to properly harness the true essence of the World’s Power.

The Causality Points, in his view, were somewhat similar to that same power.

By using them, he could make a wish, and the points would fulfill that wish, so long as it fell within certain limits.

Although he sensed that the Causality Points were inferior when compared to the vast Power of the World, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the two were deeply connected.

"To confirm my guess, I’ll have to use Absolute Decree again on someone and see if I receive Causality Points after killing them," Azrael murmured after contemplating for a long time.

He glanced at the Fragment of Abyss in his hand. Although he was curious whether the sudden appearance of the Causality Points tab on his status window was somehow related to it, he didn’t dwell too much on the thought, since he had no clear evidence or understanding of how these things truly worked.

"The most important thing for me now is to keep my mind clear and break through to Epic rank after returning," Azrael said softly and with a thought, he stored the Fragment of Abyss inside his body, just like he did with Fallen Star.

He stood up from the bed and walked toward the bathroom connected to his room. After taking a long bath to wash away the exhaustion and dried blood, he contacted home, informing Ashara and the others that he had completed his mission and was finally on his way back to Planet Arkanis.

Before entering the Ancient Ruins, Azrael had told them that he wouldn’t be able to contact them for a few days because he was attempting to learn a new skill. Thus, they had no idea he had actually ventured into the ruins.

If he had told Ashara the truth, he was certain she would have forbidden him from going, especially considering his current low level.

After speaking with Ashara and Silas for several minutes and assuring them that he was fine, Azrael ended the call.

Exhausted, he slumped onto the bed and closed his eyes, finally allowing himself some rest.

****

Two days later...

Inside his room aboard the spaceship, Azrael sat with a deep frown on his face, staring at the unconscious No. 4 lying on the bed.

"Why is she not waking up?" He muttered quietly, worry flickering in his eyes.

According to his estimation, No. 4 should have regained consciousness by now. All her vital signs were normal, and her previously faint aura had returned to full strength, clear signs that there was no physical problem with her.

But for some reason, despite being in stable condition, she remained unresponsive.

’She has no problem physically... Could the cause of her unconsciousness be something related to her soul?’

As this thought crossed his mind, Azrael’s expression darkened. He knew that problems involving the soul were far more dangerous than those concerning the body.

At the same time, he recalled the Heart of a Half-Dragon he had found in the Transcendent Organization’s hideout, the same heart Boris had used on No. 4, and wondered if that was the root cause.

"Once I return to Planet Arkanis, I’ll have a proper healer examine her," He muttered with a sigh, rubbing his temples tiredly.

He then asked the spaceship’s AI how long it would take to reach Planet Arkanis and received the reply that it would be no more than 20 hours.

"Other than finding a good healer, I also need to get a potion suitable for my core, one that can help me break through to Epic rank," He mused thoughtfully.

Azrael thought of Oliver, the person from whom he had previously obtained the Nether Wind Substance, and felt confident that Oliver could also provide him with the potion he needed.

"I’ll have to warn him not to tell Mom about the potion," He said with a small sigh. "If she finds out I’m about to reach Epic rank, she’ll immediately realize I did something dangerous."

Just the previous day, Maelir had contacted him regarding the incident that occurred in the Flato Solar System.

Azrael told him the same version of events he had shared with Mira, and Maelir simply replied that he would handle everything, telling Azrael not to worry about it.

During the call, Azrael also requested that Maelir not mention any of it to Ashara, as it would only cause unnecessary trouble for him.

"Since Uncle Maelir said he’ll take care of everything, I don’t need to worry about the matters related to the Ancient Ruins or the security forces," Azrael said to himself quietly.

With that thought, he reached into his inventory and retrieved a glowing green rune.

"The Essentia Art I received after completing the task ’Find the Traces of the Enders’ is quite different from the ones found in Genesis," He murmured thoughtfully.

As far as Azrael knew, the Essentia Arts in Genesis usually came in the form of scrolls, similar to the one he had received from Zyrek.

Those scrolls were created by high-ranking individuals who used their spiritual energy and will to imprint the Essentia Art onto specially crafted material.

However, instead of a scroll, Azrael had received a Rune for his Essentia Art. When he tried to learn from it, he discovered that learning through the rune was much easier than through the traditional scrolls.

The details within the rune were incredibly clear, and the imprinted will inside it was far stronger than what could be engraved on a scroll, making it significantly easier to comprehend.

"I think I should be able to reach entry-level mastery in this Essentia Art within two days at most," Azrael muttered to himself as he focused his dual consciousness on studying the Eye of the Eternal Storm Essentia Art.

Time passed quietly as he immersed himself in his training.

Hours turned into a full day, and by the following night, the spaceship finally entered the orbit near Planet Arkanis.