Tatara was silent in a way that no mortal language could properly describe. It was not the silence of peace, nor the quietness of untouched nature. No—this silence felt ancient, hostile, and suffocating, as though the land itself had long ago rejected the concept of life. Endless black mountains stretched across the horizon beneath skies buried under layers of dark ash-colored clouds, their jagged peaks resembling the fangs of some colossal beast sleeping beneath the world. Dead forests twisted through the valleys below like rotting veins while snow drifted endlessly through the air, covering the cursed land beneath pale frost that never seemed to melt. Even the wind sounded wrong here. Every gust carried faint whispers through the cliffs, like distant voices speaking in forgotten tongues beneath the mountains themselves. Sometimes the sound resembled cries. Other times laughter. And every now and then, the distant howl of unknown creatures echoed through Tatara before disappearing completely into the dead silence once more.
Azriah walked slowly across the frozen terrain while layers of snow cracked beneath his boots. His long black coat swayed gently beneath the freezing winds while pale mist drifted around his body. The torn remains of his shirt still hung loosely around his waist after the earlier battle against the Nightfall Wolf, exposing the claw marks carved deeply across his upper body. Some wounds had already healed through the effects of high-grade healing potions, but faint traces of dried blood still remained across his pale skin. The icy wind brushed against those scars continuously, yet Azriah showed no reaction to the cold. His crimson eyes simply observed the cursed land ahead with calm indifference, almost as though he had expected Tatara to feel exactly like this from the very beginning.
Beside him floated Sham in spiritual form, his long white hair swaying lightly through the cold atmosphere while his golden eyes continuously scanned the surroundings with growing irritation. Unlike Azriah, Sham clearly disliked being here. The deeper they traveled into Tatara, the stranger the mana surrounding them became. It no longer resembled ordinary elemental mana flowing naturally through the environment. Instead, the mana here felt ancient and corrupted, pressing against their skin with suffocating density while carrying traces of something deeply unnatural hidden beneath it. It felt almost alive. Observant. Hungry.
Eventually Sham clicked his tongue softly before breaking the silence. "This place genuinely feels cursed beyond reason," he muttered while narrowing his gaze toward the black forests ahead. "Seriously… what exactly are we doing in this godforsaken place now?" His voice carried both suspicion and annoyance because experience had already taught him one thing clearly—whenever Azriah refused to explain his plans properly, it usually meant something catastrophic was about to happen.
Azriah continued walking calmly without slowing his pace even slightly.
'I already told you.'
Cold mist drifted around him while snowflakes melted against his skin.
'You'll understand soon enough.'
His casual response only made Sham more irritated. The spirit narrowed his eyes before sighing heavily. "That answer has never once comforted me."
A faint smirk appeared on Azriah's lips, though he offered no further explanation.
The two continued deeper into the mountains while the atmosphere steadily grew heavier around them. The mana density in the air increased with every passing minute until even the frost-covered rocks surrounding the cliffs began glowing faintly beneath wandering currents of mana. The land itself seemed increasingly unstable the deeper they traveled. Occasionally the snow beneath Azriah's boots froze unnaturally solid for brief moments before suddenly cracking apart again as though reacting instinctively to his presence.
Eventually the forests around them began thinning completely.
The terrain changed.
Black cliffs towered overhead while enormous frozen rocks covered the mountain paths ahead.
And then—
a faint blue glow illuminated the darkness beyond the cliffs.
Azriah's footsteps finally slowed.
Sham followed his gaze before his expression shifted slightly.
"…Oh look what we have here, A lake?"
The two stepped beyond the final ridge of stone, and immediately the true sight before them revealed itself.
Resting within the heart of the mountains was an enormous glowing mana pool.
The water itself shimmered with radiant blue light so dense that it illuminated the entire cavern like moonlight trapped beneath crystal. Thin streams of mana drifted continuously upward from the lake like spiritual smoke while ancient runes carved into the surrounding cliffs flickered faintly beneath layers of frost and moss. The entire cavern felt ancient beyond measure, as though some forgotten civilization had once used this place long before the current world order even existed.
The mana here was overwhelming.
Not violent.
Not chaotic.
Pure.
So pure that even breathing within the cavern caused mana to naturally seep into one's circuits.
Sham's eyes narrowed slowly as realization dawned on him.
"…A mana pool."
His gaze immediately shifted toward Azriah afterward.
"So this is why you came."
Azriah walked quietly toward the edge of the glowing lake before crouching slightly, allowing the cold mist rising from the water to brush against his fingertips.
'Partially.'
The mana within the pool reacted faintly the moment he touched it.
Ripples spread across the glowing surface instantly.
Sham crossed his arms.
"You're trying to increase your mana capacity."
A quiet chuckle escaped Azriah.
'Not just that.'
His crimson eyes reflected the glowing blue water beneath him while his expression slowly became more serious.
'This place is going to serve as the medium.'
The atmosphere around them seemed to grow heavier after those words.
'I'm going to unlock my blood and spirit elements here.'
For a brief moment even Sham remained silent.
Then his expression twisted immediately.
"…Your what?"
Azriah slowly stood up while pale blue mana drifted around his fingers.
'The mana density here is high enough to stabilize the ritual.'
His voice remained calm and composed.
'And if everything succeeds…'
A faint smile gradually appeared across his lips.
'I'll finally create a blood pool.'
Sham stared at him in complete disbelief.
"…Blood magic too?"
Azriah nodded once without hesitation.
The spirit slowly rubbed his forehead.
"You are genuinely one of the most abnormal mortals I have ever seen," Sham muttered while staring at him carefully. "No mortal possesses blessings related to elements the way you do."
There was real disbelief in his voice now because Azriah fundamentally contradicted nearly every law Sham knew regarding mana and blessings.
Azriah's gaze drifted toward the distant mountains.
'True.'
Cold wind brushed through his dark hair while mist rose around him.
'But it isn't unique only to me.'
Sham frowned slightly.
"…There are others?"
Azriah nodded faintly.
'Later in the timeline.'
His expression darkened slightly afterward.
'People similar to me will eventually appear.'
Another cold gust swept through the cavern.
'Though my ice blessing is fundamentally different from theirs.'
Sham's curiosity deepened.
"Different how?"
Azriah slowly raised his hand.
Instantly pale blue frost spread unnaturally across his fingertips while the temperature within the cavern plummeted sharply.
The surface of the mana pool partially froze.
Thin cracks spread through nearby rocks.
'Because mine is innate.'
His crimson eyes glowed faintly beneath the blue mana surrounding him.
'Primordial Ice.'
The moment those words left his mouth, even Sham's expression changed slightly.
Primordial.
Not ordinary elemental mana.
Not natural ice manipulation.
Something far older.
Something much closer to the original concepts of creation itself.
Azriah slowly clenched his fingers while frost spread across the ground beneath his feet unconsciously.
'Ordinary ice elementalists uses mana to freeze the surrounding environment itself.'
His voice lowered slightly.
'But Primordial Ice freezes concepts. Which was also why Azriah was one of the most broken characters in the game.'
Silence filled the cavern immediately afterward.
Even the drifting mana surrounding them seemed to slow slightly beneath the pressure radiating from Azriah's blessing.
Eventually Sham exhaled deeply.
"Every single time I think you've finally reached the peak of insanity, you somehow climb even higher."
Azriah ignored the comment completely.
Instead, he removed the remaining torn fabric covering his upper body before stepping directly into the glowing mana pool.
The instant the mana-rich water touched his skin—
the entire lake reacted violently.
Ripples exploded across the surface while the glowing runes beneath the water brightened dramatically. The atmosphere trembled faintly beneath the sudden surge of mana released into the cavern.
Sham's eyes narrowed immediately.
"…It's reacting already."
Azriah continued walking deeper into the glowing waters until it reached his waist.
Cold mana wrapped around his body like invisible chains while the lake itself resonated faintly with his presence.
Sham floated closer while observing the unstable mana currents surrounding him.
"You're really certain about this ritual?"
Azriah's answer came instantly.
'Duh, No i just watched in a video in social media players doing this too increase mana capacity.'
Sham blinked slowly.
"…Excuse me? Can you repeat yourself again?"
A faint smirk appeared on Azriah's face despite the growing pressure surrounding him.
'I said I'm not certain.'
The spirit stared at him like he had completely lost his mind.
"You came into one of the most cursed lands in existence for a ritual you aren't even sure will work?!"
Azriah merely shrugged casually.
'That's how experimentation works.'
Sham genuinely looked moments away from strangling him.
Ignoring Sham's increasingly horrified expression, Azriah reached into his storage pouch before slowly pulling out a large glass jar.
Inside it floated the massive black heart of the Nightfall Wolf.
Even after death, the heart still pulsed faintly within the crimson liquid surrounding it while silver mana drifted around its surface in thin strands. The sheer pressure radiating from the heart alone caused the surrounding mana to distort visibly.
The moment the jar appeared—
the mana pool reacted again.
The glowing runes surrounding the cavern intensified while the heart itself emitted silver light strong enough to illuminate the entire lake.
Sham's expression sharpened instantly.
"…That thing is still alive."
Azriah nodded faintly before opening the jar without hesitation.
The instant the seal broke—
Ten bright glowing runes erupted across the surface of the heart.
The entire cavern shook violently.
Mana from the lake surged upward uncontrollably as though being dragged toward the floating heart itself. The silver glow intensified until the cavern resembled a second moon buried beneath the mountains.
Then—
Azriah pressed the heart directly against his chest.
Pain exploded through his body instantly.
Mana flooded into him like an ocean tearing apart every circuit within his body from the inside out. His muscles tensed violently while veins bulged beneath his skin as overwhelming mana surged through his core relentlessly.
Yet—
he remained standing .
Sham floated nearby silently now, observing the process carefully while the heart continuously devoured mana from the lake itself. Simultaneously, Azriah used the heart as a medium to enrich and forcefully expand his mana core.
Again.
And again.
And again. The loop continued.
Time slowly lost meaning within the cavern afterward.
Hours passed in complete silence while Azriah remained standing within the glowing waters half conscious beneath the overwhelming pressure. His skin repeatedly cracked beneath the sheer density of mana flooding his body before healing moments later through the enriched mana entering his circuits.
Blue mana spiraled endlessly around him like a storm.
His mana circuits expanded violently.
His mana core pulsed harder with every passing second.
The pressure radiating from his body steadily increased until even the air around him visibly distorted.
Sham observed quietly from above, though even he now looked unsettled by the sheer amount of mana Azriah was absorbing.
Six entire hours passed.
Azriah endured the process without moving even once.
Then suddenly—
the heart reacted again.
The silver glow intensified dramatically.
Brighter.
Brighter.
Until it became almost blinding.
The glass jar shattered instantly.
And the heart itself slowly crumbled into glowing silver dust.
The particles scattered throughout the cavern like snowfall beneath moonlight.
The sight looked strangely divine.
The silver dust swirled around Azriah before gradually sinking into his body.
And then—
his aura exploded outward.
Mana burst from him like a violent storm while massive waves of blue energy erupted around his figure. The cavern shook violently as cracks spread across the surrounding cliffs beneath the overwhelming pressure radiating from his body.
Sham narrowed his eyes immediately.
"…It's starting."
The blue aura surrounding Azriah slowly deepened afterward.
Darker.
Heavier.
More violent.
Then the color shifted completely.
Crimson mana erupted outward like blood-red flames consuming the blue light entirely.
The atmosphere instantly turned oppressive as Azriah unconsciously began devouring the remaining mana within the lake at terrifying speed.
The glowing waters rapidly dimmed while endless streams of mana entered his body continuously.
Blood elemental mana.
Spirit elemental mana.
Both awakening simultaneously.
Sham observed silently now, though even he seemed impressed by the scale of what was happening.
Yet gradually—
his expression darkened.
The mana pool was emptying far too quickly.
"…That's not enough."
The brilliant glow beneath the water faded rapidly while Azriah continued absorbing mana endlessly. A mana pool that had accumulated energy naturally for centuries was being drained dry within mere hours.
And Azriah still demanded more.
Two additional hours passed before the lake finally lost nearly all of its brilliance.
Only faint traces of blue light remained beneath the dull waters while the aura surrounding Azriah slowly began calming at last.
The crimson glow faded first.
Then the blue.
Silence returned to the cavern once more.
Azriah stood motionless within the drained lake while water dripped slowly from his body.
Then suddenly—
his eyes opened.
Only for a second.
But within that single moment—
Sham saw it clearly.
An X-shaped symbol appeared within Azriah's left eye.
Dark.
Distorted.
Surrounded by orbit-like rings slowly rotating around the pupil itself.
Sham froze instantly.
The symbol disappeared moments later while Azriah blinked normally as though nothing had happened.
But something about what Sham had seen deeply unsettled him.
Still—
he said nothing.
Instead, he slowly crossed his arms while forcing a grin onto his face.
"Well then."
His tone carried exaggerated amusement.
"Is the princess finally done with his little power-up?"
Azriah exhaled slowly before stepping out of the drained mana pool.
Water dripped from his body while traces of crimson and blue mana still lingered around him faintly.
'Yeah.'
His gaze shifted toward the translucent system window only he could see.
'Well I unlocked both elements.'
Sham smirked slightly.
"And?"
Azriah's expression suddenly changed afterward.
His eyes narrowed faintly before a low laugh escaped his lips.
It wasn't normal laughter.
It sounded dangerous.
Excited.
Almost disbelieving.
Sham frowned immediately.
"…What happened now?"
Azriah slowly lifted his gaze while a faint grin spread across his face as he opened his system pannel.
╔══════════════════════╗
║ CODEX ARBORIS ║
╚══════════════════════╝
"Rooted in origin. Bound to duality."
[HOST STATUS]
Name: Azriah Antioch
Title: —
Avatar: Avatar of the First Holy & the Unholy(Status: Stable)
Path: Unawakened
Elements: Blood(awakened)
Blood pool:(0%)
Spirit(Dormant)
Contracted spirt:0
[SOUL LINKS]
Primary Link: _ _ _ _ _ _
Designation: G_dd_ss of __n & __t__n
Link Status: (Suppressed)
Resonance: Irregular Secondary Link: Shamiel
Designation: Unknown Path
Link Status: Active
Resonance: Undetected
[MEMORY RECLAMATION]
Second Life Memory: (Locked) Stability Risk: Unknown Synchronization Rate: 0%
First Life Memory: Stable
Synchronization Rate:78%
[CORE ATTRIBUTES] Core of the War god Khorne (Fully active)
[BLESSINGS]
Userpers Law(sealed)
Law of Negation (Partially active)
Cryomancy (Active)
?????????
[SKILLS]
Shapeshifting : Mastery(0%)
Mimicry : Mastery(5%)
Super strength:Mastery(10%)
Weapon arts: Origin arts of the Antioch
Formed baldes: 57
'I somehow partially unlocked Negation too.'
The cavern fell deathly silent afterward.
Sham's expression froze completely.
"…You WHAT?"