CHAPTER 62: LIGHT OF EVOLUTION

"They’re beautiful," Lena muttered, her eyes drawn to the youth’s gaze, a literal swirling vortex of crimson and abyssal light.

They were mesmerizing, she breathed, and hell, she was willing to bet he wasn’t any older than she was. But the power he wielded... it was monstrous. Before she could regain her senses, her body subconsciously walked closer to the youth, and as she did, she couldn’t help but gasp, seeing his face up close in fine detail. Almost as if it were crafted by a godly artisan.

"You have our eternal gratitude!" Lena said hurriedly, crossing the ten-metre mark as she snapped out of her daze, regaining her composure.

A deep reverence burned within her eyes. "The least I can do is heal your injuries." She began, her hands glowing with an ethereal, radiant light.

Before the youth suddenly turned, his burning eyes locked onto her, freezing her in place. She suddenly felt bare under his gaze, almost as if he were staring deep into her soul, uncovering all her secrets.

"No need," Aurelian breathed, uttering his first words since he arrived, if he didn’t count that smug remark at his entry.

"Huh?" Lena’s brows arched. "You don’t want our help...?" she whispered under her breath, only for the words to freeze in her throat as her eyes widened in surprise. The cuts and burns across his body were healing at an astonishing rate, closing up completely within seconds.

Yet her gaze didn’t withdraw. Her eyes flared deeper as she caught faint motes of light spreading across his body, lighting parts of it in an intricate pattern.

"The light of evolution!" she blurted unknowingly, before covering her mouth, a remorseful look colouring her face. "I’m sorry if I offended you, I didn’t mean to reveal anything."

"I’ll be taking my leave now," Aurelian breathed. His objective had been accomplished; it was time he finally took that step. He couldn’t put it off any longer, the energy was surging rampantly inside his body, threatening to burst out at any second.

"Wait...we can protect you as you evolve," Lena offered almost instantly, a part of her hoping he wouldn’t leave. Something deep inside her had sparked the moment she laid eyes on the figure before her, a feeling she never thought she’d experience.

Embarrassment tinged her cheeks red, a burning heat welling inside her.

"Protect me?" Aurelian mused, a smile tugging at his lips as he regarded the blue-haired girl before him. She was certainly... interesting, he’d give her that. But if something truly dangerous appeared, he doubted they could help much.

"We aren’t that weak... it’s just that those beasts were very strong," Lena burst out, catching his implication. The blush spread down her neck, only for her eyes to widen in alarm, realizing she was rambling nonsense.

If the figure before her hadn’t appeared in time, they would all be dead. Offering to protect him now was just... meaningless.

"I’ll fancy my chances alone," Aurelian said, inhaling sharply, just about to launch himself into the depths of the dungeon.

"I’m Lena Greyson," she offered. But before the words could fully leave her lips, the figure blinked away, leaving only a mirage behind.

"Ahhh, what was I thinking!" Lena muttered, her fingers clenching into fists as she tried to suppress the furious blush tingling at her neck. Then a soft whisper trailed behind the fading mirage, snapping her back.

"Aurelian."

"Huh? Aurelian?" Lena gulped, her eyes widening. "His name is Aurelian?" The name lit a spark inside her, a hint of familiarity brewing in her gaze.

She was certain she remembered the name from somewhere, though the memories were blurry. Whatever it was, she seared the name into the depths of her heart, whispering softly, "I’ll repay this kindness you’ve shown us today, no matter the cost." She gritted her teeth. To do so, she would at least need to get closer to that kind of power to even offer any assistance. This weakness... she was going to shed it.

Her back arched sharply as she bowed toward the distance where the mirage flickered. Slowly, the youths behind her followed, gratitude burning in their eyes as they too bowed at the Grim Reaper’s departure.

***

"I guess this is as good a place as any," Aurelian breathed, his eyes scanning an empty, secluded part of the dungeon. He’d recently begun noticing the sharp drop in acid slimes. He didn’t know if their evolution required them to disappear for a time, but he doubted it was anything good. That was why he needed to grow stronger,.and fast.

Nodding to himself, he stopped suppressing his evolution, allowing the changes to envelop him.

As he finally stopped resisting, a splendiferous orange glow blanketed his body, seeping deep inside him, washing over him in warm streams of energy before the real process began.

From the glow, a slew of intricate runes emerged, and with them, a world of pain. The runes seared themselves deep into his flesh, crushing his bones before healing them instantly, only to repeat the gruesome process. His skin squirmed, cracking repeatedly, not spared from the agony.

Then, ever so slowly, streams of a gooey, repulsive liquid seeped from his skin, purged away as it dripped to the ground, reeking of corruption and impurities.

He was being purified. Groaning, he reached for the changes, already sensing a shift deep inside him, followed by an explosion in his mind as his brain was overwhelmed.

He suddenly felt it. A wave of warm energy encapsulating everything around him, mana.

The true difference between F-ranks and E-ranks lay in their ability to sense mana and manipulate it to enhance their bodies and attacks. And now he could feel it, as naturally as the air he breathed. Like a missing limb he never knew he lacked, suddenly reconnected.

His physique grew noticeably stronger. Bathed in evolution, cleansed by the purge, he felt fresher than ever, his previous self sharpened considerably.

All that was left was one thing. And just as the thought crossed his mind, a notification flared before him.

[Error! The host’s mortal vessel is still weak! A minimum of 100 base stats across all awakened attributes are required to awaken the third supreme record!]

"Ahhh, just when things were getting smoother!" Aurelian cursed, his curiosity eating at him. He got to his feet, still acclimating to the mana around him, and whispered to himself:

"Guess another massacre, huh?"