Chapter 394
"....."
"Erin, check on him," Lincoln ordered.
The healer was still stunned, which was evident from the way she stared at the Tribrid without blinking.
’Hang on... now that I think about it, he looks familiar. Wh-Where have I seen him befo—’
"Erin! What are you thinking about? Hurry already!"
Snapping out of her thoughts, the healer hurried toward the unconscious Berg, immediately pouring the last of her meta-force into healing the injuries he had sustained.
The Aspirants on the field, along with Lincoln, still couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed.
How did Ray defeat Berg?
There was nobody who didn’t know who Berg was.
Even the Aspirants on the field knew about the history between Ray and Berg.
From the confrontation in the hallway where, although Ray had lost physically, he had humbled Berg verbally and even had the guts to threaten him.
Back then, he had only been a Grade 1.2 Meta-human.
And Berg had been a Grade 6.8.
Now...
He had completely humbled the proud Legacy Scion both physically and verbally.
To defeat someone of Berg’s caliber, one needed to be exceedingly stronger.
Maybe a Grade 8 Meta-human with literal abilities...
Or even beyond.
Beyond Grade 8 was the realm known as **Special Grade**, where the Big Four Meta families stood.
Although Grade 8 was considered the official cap for ordinary Meta-humans, everyone knew there were monsters who existed somewhere between Grade 8 and Special Grade.
Yet right before their very eyes, they had watched a boy who had once been beaten repeatedly... overturn everything.
The weakling they had mocked had returned as someone capable of crushing one of the Corps’ strongest Aspirants with nothing but his bare hands.
The only question echoing inside everyone’s mind was...
**How?**
What exactly had the cohort gone through inside the Red Gate to transform Ray into someone so terrifying?
Not only had his appearance changed...
Even his strength had undergone a frightening evolution.
"...."
Kai walked over together with Felix and Van.
"Damn. That was so satisfying to watch. The only downside is that you ended it too quickly," Kai said with a wide-ass grin stretching across his face.
Felix slapped Ray on the back with a smirk.
"You should’ve made him suffer a bit more before ending the fight. That’s the way of the... the way we do."
Van, however, wasn’t smiling.
He glanced toward Lincoln, who was still staring in their direction, before lowering his voice.
"What have you done, Ray? The whole Corps just watched you defeat a Grade 7.8 Meta-human who was using his ability... with nothing but your fists and speed.
Our worst fears are about to come true. They’ll definitely take you in for questioning.
What if they find out that you... you’re a—"
"Let them."
Ray cut him off without the slightest hesitation.
"I don’t give a fuck anymore.
I’m not hiding ever again.
If the situation demands it one day, I’ll throw every single thing I have onto the battlefield without hesitation.
Let them see.
I’d rather lose my own life than stand there and watch my friends lose theirs when I have the strength to stop it."
Silence settled between the four of them.
Van could only sigh softly.
He understood.
After everything they had survived together inside the Red Gate... after watching Ray sacrifice himself again and again... this answer somehow wasn’t surprising anymore.
"...."
Lincoln watched the group for another second before letting out a tired sigh.
’I will deal with this back at the Corps. I honestly don’t have the time for this mess.’
He raised his voice.
"To the carrier."
The hellicarrier transporting the rescued survivors had already departed.
So the remaining Aspirants, Militants, healers, Ray, and the rest of his cohort boarded the second carrier before it slowly lifted into the sky.
Powerful gusts of wind swept across the damaged streets as its massive rotors roared overhead.
The residents below could only stare at the departing aircraft with mixed expressions.
Some looked relieved.
Others looked annoyed as they stared at the ruined roads, shattered buses, and cracked asphalt left behind after the brief but devastating clash.
"Who will fix this mess?!" one woman shouted, shaking her fist toward the sky.
.....
Within ten minutes, the hellicarrier arrived back at the Corps.
The cohort quietly returned to their respective rooms.
Since they had already received treatment back in the city, there was no need for another medical examination.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity...
They were finally home.
So they simply returned to their rooms after Lincoln informed them that he would contact Captain Jake.
Judging by his estimation, the Captain would return the following day.
That meant they had an entire day to rest, gather themselves, and prepare their thoughts for tomorrow’s inevitable questioning.
Honestly, Ray appreciated the break.
He needed time to properly sort through his system rewards and everything he had gained from his journey inside the Red Gate world.
The moment they stepped into their room, Ray immediately collapsed onto his bed with a long sigh of exhaustion.
Every muscle in his body screamed for rest.
Even though his evolution had restored his body to perfect condition, the mental fatigue from everything he had endured still weighed heavily on him.
Kai didn’t waste a second before bolting toward the bathroom.
"I’ll be in for half an hour," he announced before the bathroom door shut behind him.
Van casually dropped a few belongings onto his bed before leaving the room almost immediately.
No doubt...
He was heading straight back to his workshop.
’That workaholic.’
Shaking his head with a helpless smile, Ray let out a quiet sigh before summoning the translucent screen displaying all the rewards he had earned from conquering the Obsidian Spire.
He had already checked the experience reward earlier, so that wasn’t what interested him anymore.
His gaze immediately landed on the completion rewards.
[Reward: +20 to all attributes; +10 free stat points; +1 system skill; +2 new bloodline skills; +50 Resonance Points.]
Nodding slowly, he skimmed past the notification.
’That explains why I feel noticeably stronger... and a lot lighter than before.’
The increase wasn’t just visible on paper.
He had already experienced it firsthand when he effortlessly overpowered Berg.
"Status Tab."
====== [Status] ======
[Name: Ray Dawson]
[Age: 16]
[Race: Tribrid Master]
[Level: 24 >>> 31]
[EXP: 1,000 / 42,000]
[HP: 200/200]
[MF: 20/200]
[Energy: 10/250]
{Attributes:}
[STR: 80 >>> 100]
[AGI: 80 >>> 100]
[INT: 80 >>> 100]
[PER: 80 >>> 100]
[END: 80 >>> 100]
[Stat Points: 10 >>> 20]
===========
’Not bad... not bad at all.’
A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Seven whole levels.
Every attribute breaking into the triple digits.
The difference between the Ray who had entered the Red Gate and the one lying on this bed now was like heaven and earth.
But that smile quickly faded.
’...How the hell am I supposed to grow stronger now? Forty-two thousand experience just for the next level? Damn it... this is going to become a serious problem later on.’
With a weary sigh, he reread the screen one more time.
Truthfully, most of these rewards weren’t surprising anymore.
During his battle against Nebula, he had already gone through several notifications while desperately searching for anything that could help him survive.
The only unfamiliar additions were most likely the rewards granted after his successful evolution into a Tribrid Master.
’I can’t believe it...’
His expression softened slightly.
’I spent my sixteenth birthday in that damned Forgotten Lands...’
Not exactly how he had imagined celebrating.
There was no cake.
No friends laughing around him.
Only blood...
Pain...
And a desperate struggle to stay alive.
Shaking those thoughts away before they could linger any longer, he focused on the next menu.
"Bloodline Tab."
[Bloodline: 3/3 Available]
[Bloodline Types: Lightning / Werewolf / Celestial]
[Resonance: 50 >>> 100/300]
[Lightning: 30%]
[Werewolf: 25%]
[Celestial: 20%]
=====
’I guess my Lightning bloodline still has the highest compatibility.’
His eyes drifted toward the lower percentages.
’The Werewolf bloodline is still ahead of the Celestial one... somehow.’
He studied the panel several more times before his attention settled on the Resonance value.
One hundred.
Exactly double what it had been before entering the Red Gate.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
’With this... I should be able to maintain my transformation much longer than before.’
Previously, ten minutes had been his absolute limit.
Now...
That limit had undoubtedly increased.
Just thinking about it made his anticipation rise.
His fingers twitched eagerly.
A wide smile spread across his face as excitement slowly replaced his exhaustion.
"Now then..."
"Let me see my new skills."
___
[A/N: Okay, this isn’t the last Chapter. Just wanted to say that this author is not feeling too well since yesterday. So unfortunately, I will have to take a break from writing hence there won’t be an update tomorrow. I’m sorry guys. Forgive me in advance.]
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