CHAPTER 393: DARKNESS

He softly smiled back at her, reassuring her silently that he understood.

Rina gently cleared her throat, interrupting the touching moment. She discreetly pointed downward toward Fiora’s exposed body with an amused yet gentle look.

Confused at first, Fiora followed Rina’s gesture, looking down at herself before her face exploded into a fierce blush. With a small squeak of embarrassment, she quickly grabbed the blanket, pulling it tightly around herself, hiding beneath it completely and stubbornly refusing to meet Orion’s amused yet gentle gaze.

Orion softly chuckled, standing up from his seat beside the bed. He offered Rina a warm, gentle smile as he instructed calmly, "Rina, get her some clothes and look after her for a while. I’ll give you two some space."

Rina nodded with understanding and a quiet smile, softly replying, "Of course, Master."

Turning gently, Orion carefully navigated his way through the debris-filled room, pausing briefly at the doorway.

He glanced back one last time at Fiora, hidden shyly beneath the blankets, and felt relief settle deeply within his heart.

Standing quietly by the doorway, Orion glanced back into the room once more, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on Fiora’s bashful figure hidden beneath the blankets.

Internally, he mused to himself, ’Looks like the experience made her more open? She seems less shy than usual.’

As if sensing his inner thoughts, Lumi’s floating screen suddenly popped up in front of him, gently bobbing in affirmation.

Her voice resonated clearly yet thoughtfully,

[Yes, she looks far more stable now. It seems she processed many of her feelings subconsciously. Her Dragon lineage might have also subtly changed her psyche. After all, not everyone can withstand the profound transformations their lineages bring upon them. ( •ᴗ• )]

Orion nodded softly, accepting Lumi’s words with quiet acknowledgment. A faint smile appeared on his face as he turned around, gently closing the door behind him to give Rina and Fiora the privacy they needed.

With one last thoughtful look at the closed door, he walked down the corridor, quietly contemplating the events.

He found himself making his way toward the back of the mansion, where the early morning sunlight fell gently upon the lush greenery and well-maintained training grounds.

The calm surroundings were filled with fresh scents of blooming flowers and the faint chirping of birds, offering a comforting solace after the turbulent night.

Standing in the open space, Orion quietly drew his sword, feeling the familiar weight and balance in his grasp.

A thought crossed his mind as he took a graceful stance, readying himself to practice: ’I’ve nearly abandoned my spear practice lately. I should spare more attention to it soon.’

Exhaling slowly, Orion cleared his mind, allowing the subtle thoughts to fade as he began fluidly executing elegant sword forms, each precise movement flowing smoothly into the next.

His blade moved effortlessly, leaving behind faint afterimages, blending seamlessly into a dance of subtle lethality. The rhythmic movements helped calm his spirit, sharpen his focus, and allowed him a momentary respite from lingering worries.

***

A few peaceful hours passed swiftly, and Orion felt satisfied with the subtle improvements he had made.

Sweating lightly from the practice, he finally sheathed his sword with a smooth movement and made his way back toward his room, ready to resume other pressing tasks.

Stepping inside his room, Orion immediately noticed the absence of Fiora and Rina. The room was still a complete mess with debris all over the place.

Shaking his head lightly with mild amusement and resignation, Orion carefully navigated through the wreckage and took out a comfortable chair from his storage ring, placing it gently beside the window in a spot previously occupied by a now-destroyed table.

With a quiet sigh, he took out the Silent Hall Cube, carefully activating its effects. An invisible barrier swiftly enclosed the room, isolating all external disturbances and noise and preventing others from spying inside, allowing Orion absolute peace and silence for deep contemplation and study.

Then, he reached into his inventory and withdrew the Oblivion Codex of Eternal Night. As soon as he retrieved it, a crystalline artifact appeared in his palm, gleaming subtly with an ominous yet alluring darkness.

Its smooth, cool surface pulsed faintly beneath his touch, radiating an aura of profound, ancient power.

For several moments, Orion simply stared at the crystal, feeling the immense potential and dangers it contained.

Slowly, he sent a careful stream of mana into the crystal, awakening its dormant knowledge.

Immediately, dark runes and obscure symbols began swirling around him, manifesting into luminous text that hovered in the air, clearly and crisply visible to his discerning eyes.

As Orion began reading the knowledge contained within, he immediately found himself immersed in the profound and intricate mysteries of the Darkness Element itself.

The Codex detailed that Darkness was far more than mere absence of light, it was an all-encompassing force of the cosmos, representing all that is unholy: corruption, concealment, forceful merging of other elements, and boundless potential.

Unlike Light, which purified and openly revealed truths, Darkness was fundamentally different.

It was not merely the absence of illumination but a force actively seeking to corrupt the very essence of reality itself.

Orion’s brows furrowed thoughtfully as he immersed himself deeper into the esoteric principles detailed within the Codex, understanding how Darkness relentlessly attempted to twist and transform other elements into their abyssal counterparts, creating darker, more volatile reflections of their original nature.

’Darkness possessed an insidious, pervasive influence, continuously whispering into the minds and souls of those who wielded it.’

’It eroded clarity, blurred moral boundaries, and steadily pushed its wielders towards the brink of oblivion.’

’Silence, concealment, erosion, and corruption were not mere traits, it was the inherent essence of Darkness itself, making it exceptionally potent yet incredibly perilous.’

’Without sufficient mastery, wielders risked their minds gradually being consumed, lost irretrievably to the abyss.’

Moreover, Orion learned from the Codex that true mastery over the Darkness Element was not measured solely by strength or raw power.

Instead, it demanded an exceptional mental fortitude, an unwavering emotional foundation, and clarity of purpose strong enough to resist its seductive pull.

The Codex warned explicitly that prolonged exposure without absolute control inevitably led to the wielder’s psyche and soul succumbing entirely to the darkness they sought to dominate, and none had managed to win against the Darkness Element yet.

Orion read silently, absorbing the warnings and wisdom meticulously, imprinting each detail deeply into his consciousness.

He began to grasp the immense difficulty and inherent dangers involved, understanding precisely why forming his Affinity Rune for Darkness had violently backlashed previously.

The abyssal nature of this powerful element was far deeper and more treacherous than he had initially believed, a mistake he swore never to repeat.

Minutes stretched into hours as Orion delved deeper into the Oblivion Codex, fully entranced yet cautious enough to not lose himself.

He steadily memorized all the details, building a foundational understanding essential for safely comprehending this formidable and terrifying element inside the legacy ground later.

Pausing briefly to internalize everything he’d learned so far, Orion exhaled gently, his gaze calm and thoughtful.

"This Codex holds far deeper truths than I imagined," he murmured softly to himself. "No wonder those demons are crazy bastards. Who can even remain free from its influence?"

Lumi appeared quietly beside him again, her glowing screen looking at him adorably.

[Of course, my handsome Master can do that!!

Orion softly chuckled and shook his head, "Are you throwing me under the bus?"