Chapter 714: Flight
Northern had not the strength to move away from his position despite the waves of joy that thrashed tumultuously inside his soul.
The soreness in his body lingered, perhaps a consequence of his newly evolved form. He had expected to feel stronger, but instead, his muscles ached as if rebelling against the change.
A few seconds after the system's announcement, he heard Josie's silvery voice.
"Sir Rian? Sir Rian!!"
It was the first time Northern had heard his name from her. Though he didn't care much for it, he couldn't help but notice how the girl, who had portrayed herself as indifferent and troublesome, now sounded genuinely concerned.
'So noisy...'
Northern raised a finger, finally making the girl shut up.
"You are alive. Oh, thank my stars, you are alive. I thought I got you killed."
She sank her face into his arms, muffling her voice as it fell with sobs.
Northern slowly moved his other hand, petting the young girl's head. He spoke weakly.
"I'm fine. It was just a little bit more difficult than I expected."
She raised her head and looked at him, her expression a mixture of relief and guilt.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause you so much pain. I didn't know it would."
"It's fine... I was the one who underestimated your talent."
Noticing that the yellowish glow in her eyes had vanished, replaced by black, he frowned slightly and propped himself up.
"So, how do you feel?"
Josie took a moment to examine her hands, clenching and unclenching them before running them over her face. Her eyes widened, and her hands trembled.
"I... feel... empty..."
She slowly stood up, her eyes scrunching fondly as tears pooled at the base of her lids and streamed down her cheeks.
"I feel so good."
Sitting there, Northern watched her with a small smile on his lips. On the other hand, he wasn't feeling so good, but he knew he would be fine.
He sighed and looked at the joyful girl. Then he said, extending his right hand toward her. "Help me up."
Quickly, Josie grabbed hold of Northern's hands and pulled him up. Northern stretched his muscles a bit. He could finally feel the soreness leaving subtly.
He also could accurately tell the differences after standing and stretching for a bit. His body looked slightly different; the usual paleness had gained a slight warmth, now he looked more like the living and less like the dead.
But his muscles had gained more rigidity than before. He could feel it with every slight movement; he could also feel a strange and unexplainable elasticity in his muscles.
He knew for sure that his body had gained more peculiarities. And that was the tip of the changes that had happened to him. He could not wait to check them out!
"It's late... you should go and rest. I need to rest too," he said to Josie.
The girl smiled heartily and nodded.
"Goodbye and good luck on the Milhwa festival. I will be rooting for you from the central plains." Her voice rang out like bright lights dancing on puffy clouds.
Northern smiled, closing his eyes for a moment as he nodded to her.
"Thank you."
He watched the girl walk away, and after she had completely left, he spread his spatial awareness. As expected, it had increased; before he could only perceive just the vicinities of the non-combative school, but now, he could perceive the whole of Milhguard academy and its island.
He waited a bit, making sure that Josie had entered the vicinity of the combative school and was heading towards her dormitory.
He closed his eyes and breathed.
'Let's see what has become of my body.'
It was his body; all he needed to do was pay extra attention to it. He instinctively knew what it could now do.
Northern opened his eyes and like a spear thrown vertically by an invisible force, he was lifted into the air, leaving fading traces of blue and red afterimages.
He came to an abrupt pause in the middle of the dark clouds and looked down on the academy. The large compound of edifices before his eyes resembled a miniature kingdom, with its tall spires and fortified walls glowing faintly under the light of the two moons. The surrounding forest and the red cloud beyond framed the island, making it appear like a floating citadel in the night.
Even his base eyes had become sharper; from his position, he could see every detail with startling clarity. The distant movement of students in the combative school courtyard and the flickering of lanterns in the dormitory windows were as clear to him as if he stood mere feet away.
His lips curled up and without warning, he shot forward, slicing through the air like a comet, the red and blue afterimages trailing behind him. He soared over the academy, testing his speed and maneuverability.
With each movement, he felt more in sync with his body, as if it had become a finely tuned instrument waiting to be mastered.
After several minutes of flying, he landed softly on the roof of one of the tallest towers in the academy. The wind whispered around him, carrying the faint sounds of the night.
He examined the quiet scenery like its guardian then took off, flying with a swift light that faded almost as it appeared. Northern's form was completely gone, then he appeared in his room and slumped on his bed, his face full of life.
He never thought that flying could be so much fun. But it was time to check his rewards, starting from yesterday. Northern sat up and summoned the system.
[Profile]
Name: Rian Artemis Reimgard (Northern Longguard)
True Name: [Unwritten], [The Titan's Reckoning]
Attributes: [Formless], [Limitless Void], [Vestige of Chaos], [Chaos Eyes], [Chaotic Regeneration], [Chaos Flame], [Seed of Void], [Chaos Infusion], [Chaotic Resonance], [Chaos
and Void]
Soul Rank: [Transient]
Void Summons: [12/100]
Talent Fragments: [56,165/6,000]
[Copied Talents]: [5/6]
[Owned Talents]: [3]
[Attribute Abilities (Active/Passive)]: [10/11]
[Owned Items]: [Molten Vein], [Night Terror], [Illusioned Hefter], [Plate of A Thousand Eyes]
and 19 others.