CHAPTER 22: NO STOPPING

After the shock passed, Richard resumed absorbing Aether.

And sure enough, it became far easier for him—not because of where he was, but because his absorption ability itself had drastically improved.

As he drew in Aether, faint violet light gathered around him, pulled in from the fragments of Aether lingering nearby.

One Aether—he could now absorb it in less than thirty minutes.

It was a new record, and his spirits soared to the highest peak, enough to make him forget about sleeping through the night.

If he continued until morning, he believed he could accumulate as many as twenty Aether.

Including the ones collected by the Aether Bottle, the total would reach forty.

Just imagining the possibility made it impossible for him to stop training.

If he simply endured with patience, he could truly reach the Realm of Aether Will.

Forget everything else, he thought.

By morning, after he drank the Aether stored in the bottle, his Aether had risen dramatically.

[Aether: 928/1000 Tier 3] +40

[Aether Accumulation: 928 Tier 3]

Seventy-two more. Just that much... I can finish within twenty-four hours, he thought, brimming with determination that suppressed his exhaustion.

"Continue!"

He didn’t think of eating or anything else—only pushing his training further.

So focused was he, he didn’t even hear Mr. Joe calling. The old man eventually opened the door to his room, only to be stunned.

He saw Richard sitting in deep meditation, a faint violet glow surrounding him.

For the first time, he realized Richard was no ordinary boy.

Quickly, he shut the door again, afraid the child would scold him for interrupting.

By noon, training felt no different to Richard.

The heat of the day was neutralized by the Cooling Necklace, keeping him comfortable.

Surprisingly, absorbing Aether during the day was easier than at night. Perhaps because fewer people practiced during daylight, the ambient Aether was less divided.

The time needed per Aether dropped by about five minutes.

By evening, he had absorbed thirty-three.

Thirty-three times two—sixty-six.

[Aether: 994/1000 Tier 3] +66

[Aether Accumulation: 994 Tier 3]

Richard lay down after drinking from the Aether Bottle.

Twenty-four hours without food or sleep—though Aether sustained his body, it didn’t erase his human needs.

But he only needed six more.

His determination had carried him past limit after limit, yet eventually, fatigue claimed him.

Despite his will, he fell asleep, stomach empty.

But in the middle of the night, the System’s voice stirred him awake.

(Your Aether has increased from 994 to 1000!)

[Aether: 1000/1000 Tier 3] +6

[Aether Accumulation: 1000 Tier 3]

(One thousand Aether has been accumulated within your body. You have entered the Realm of Aether Will. Your body has automatically created an Aether Will, allowing you to command all of your Aether!)

[Status:]

[Name: Richard]

[Magic Realm: Aether Will]

[Aether: 0/10,000 Tier 3]

[Aether Accumulation: 1000 Tier 3]

(Notice: To advance to the next Realm, you must not only accumulate 10,000 Aether, but also replace your skeleton with an Aether Skeleton. This is external—you must acquire it yourself!)

Richard woke with eyes wide and refreshed.

At least he had managed a few hours of sleep, enough to clear his mind.

Joy.

Pure joy filled him.

Something had awakened within his body—a soul-light, difficult to describe.

It was part of him, a fragment of his will, a force that could command powers beyond human control.

The one thousand Aether within him now felt sharp, distinct.

He could control all of it—everything was different now.

"So this is what power feels like," he whispered in awe.

The only thing frustrating him now was that he had no proper place to unleash it inside this room.

He stood, swaying, nearly collapsing again.

BANG!

He forced himself out the door, startling Mr. Joe, who was drinking wine in the living room.

Richard’s eyes immediately landed on the loaf of bread beside the wine.

Without a word, he grabbed it and devoured it ravenously.

His hunger was unbearable.

Inside the bread, there was even meat, which gave him much-needed strength.

"Water..." he demanded hoarsely.

Mr. Joe leapt up and rushed to the kitchen, returning with a cup of water.

Richard snatched it before he could offer it, downing it in one gulp.

Only then did he calm down.

Now he truly understood the terror of starving for more than twenty-four hours—no, it had been closer to thirty.

Of course, he kept eating, though slower now, while Mr. Joe brought him another cup of water.

"Boss, are you alright?" Mr. Joe asked carefully, realizing fortune awaited him as long as Richard was pleased with him.

Once, he had called him Young Boss. Now, he called him simply Boss.

Richard gave a faint smile. Even toward Mr. Joe, his mood was too good not to share.

"You know now, don’t you?" he said.

The old man quickly nodded.

"I never expected you to be so great, already practicing magic at such a young age. It is exceedingly rare. In this entire region, I believe only Lady Rebecca has accomplished the same," he said with awe.

Hearing her name again, Richard only laughed inwardly.

Indeed, that woman had begun practicing magic at the age of seven.

But he—he had reached the Realm of Aether Will at the same age.

He wondered what her reaction would be if he appeared before her now, claiming to be the son she abandoned as an infant, and showed her his power.

Of course, he had no intention of doing so.

For him, it was enough to focus on himself.

With the System’s help, my life will never be as complicated as others. I don’t need to involve myself in unnecessary messes, he thought.

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