Determination was one thing, but it was still a fact that he was on the verge of explosion. After enduring for half an hour, his knees finally buckled, and it was only then that Finn finally allowed himself to be escorted to the clinic and then to his room.
The children's eyes were red from crying, which was heartbreaking, but he was really in too much pain to comfort them.
He was like a taut string at this time, and if he let go, he would explode.
Fortunately, Syl took out that rune—whatever rune that was—to contain the excess energy. Even if he didn't die from the excess energy from the ring, he would've been bedridden.
Finn woke up a full week later, feeling extremely groggy and sore. He did not move for a while, allowing himself to adjust to his current condition in a state of semi-consciousness.
As he slept, he could hear Syl's reassuring voice and the voices of concern from his friends and partners, as well as the sniffles and cries of his sister.
Today, he was woken up from a light sleep by the baby girl's sobs.
"Wuuu… Bwathaaa dun dieee," the baby sobbed, and he could feel her settling on his arms again and hugging him. His heart warmed and his face showed a gentle smile on his face.
He hugged his chubby sister back, noting that she got really chubby, obviously liking the food a lot. "Did you eat a lot while crying or something?" he asked, and the little baby actually bobbed her head.
He laughed out loud, though he ended up coughing a little due to the dryness of his throat.
The next moment, a cup of water appeared, and he was helped up. It was Syl, apparently, right at his bedside the whole time.
"Thank you, Syl," he said, and he meant this in many ways. She just smiled at him, patiently waiting for him to drink all the water.
The baby girl, seeing as her brother was not dead, happily scooted to the edge of the bed and toddled outside, probably to play again.
The couple chuckled, letting her be. The two looked at each other for a while, with Syl updating him on some of the things that had happened while he was asleep.
For one, the captured people were still under investigation. Further, the elders of all three guilds tried to keep what happened under wrap so it didn't spread too quickly. However, the elders said it was impossible to completely hide, so they had to be prepared for retaliation.
"Finn…other than this, we have another situation," Syl said, looking concerned. She took out the ring that she had been studying for a while.
"This is elven…these are runes, secrets of elves," she said, pointing at some subtle patterns. She also mentioned what the human King had mentioned to her before she left.
"It seems like whatever is happening in the portals…" she paused. "The elves are involved in it as well."
…
During this time, news spread out through various places. The news of a nobleman and his posse being brutally killed in the middle of nowhere spread out.
Further, it was soon revealed that they—along with the organization behind them—were responsible for weakening the portal barriers that had been protecting everyone!
The adventurers and mercenaries on site definitely did not hold back in telling people about the account of the events, making sure that Frago and his team were continuously getting cursed.
This news also spread to some unexpected places. For example, news also went straight to the far east, to the Elven kingdoms.
In one of the areas obscured by dense mountain ranges was a town. This was the base of the rebellion.
In the midst of it was a handsome elf with dark hair. He had a face that would make most women swoon, but there was a certain menacing aura around him that made people's stomachs tumble in fear.
He was currently sitting on a throne, but he was surrounded by various healers who had been continuously giving energy to him the past months, all for him to recover his wounds.
"So…my sister and nephew are actually alive and well, living in the danger zone?" he asked, voice low and velvety, but also a little hoarse from his long-term injury.
He was also quite annoyed. All his wounds were caused by his siblings, after all, with the finishing shot from that well-behaved sister of his.
"Yes, your highness."
"And that the Bhissit family has now been compromised?"
"Yes, your highness," his assistant said, looking down with a pale face. "Most of the members have gone into hiding, and it seems like the patriarch, Baldov, is headed here to ask for reinforcement.
"It seems like he hopes to receive help to take down that mysterious inn."
"Such a good thing. Why destroy it when you can have it?" the elf said. "What an idiot."
Shala's eyes were sharp as he looked at the skies. He was so close.
He felt his body, and he was already at the barrier of the next upgrade—the highest one for magic users, the Eminent Rank.
Elves were very, very talented, but even they—including his brother and their father—encountered an impassable block that would continue to stump them until their deaths.
This thought, for an ambitious man like Shala, was torturous.
After years of research, they had found a way. He partnered up with someone with similar goals and had a decent amount of power and influence, the Bhissit Family.
Whenever those humans absorbed power from the barrier with the ancient artefacts he retrieved, he would actually gain most of it. It was why, without the humans knowing, it took days to gather even a bit of energy—because most of it was transmitted to him, Shala, future King of elves. No, the World.
He, himself, was already at the peak of the Prime State, the magical equivalent of the Apex State, and he just needed a bit more push to become the world's first Eminent after hundreds of years.
By then, his precious brother—who was at the same level as the current him after all the absorption he received so far—really wouldn't be able to do anything against him! The world will be his!
….
In a town Southeast, a group of hooded individuals passed by a large desert. At their wake were hundreds of halfkins and beastkins splayed around, either dead or dying.
"Did we receive a reply yet?" A heavy, raspy voice sounded at the side, making everyone around shiver.
This was Baldov, one of the few Apex-level powerhouses in the world.
Thinking of this, Baldov felt even more livid.
He had once been the peak of existence, revered by all.
But now…he was reduced to becoming a refugee!
He was not the only apex state person in the world. There were a handful in the human territories alone, and three of those hunted for him.
Their attacks killed more than half of his family and the forces he had invested massive amounts of wealth in. The chase eventually pushed him through the disgusting barbarian area, taking over a random small settlement occupied by beastkins and halfkins.
If only he had managed to upgrade in time, those bastards wouldn't have been able to lay a hand on him!!
He had been ready to reach the highest tier, which he would've no doubt reached if the ring arrived on time. Then, the Elves promised he'd be able to rise to Titan within the next year!.
Now, they were suffering in the desert like pitiful animals who couldn't even secure their basic needs. How could he be reconciled!?
And they really weren't!
"What about we just take over the place where the young master died?"
"I heard the owner had just landed Toughened-level."
"There is no sign of the mysterious master either. Rather, our studies showed that there might be no master at all! That toughened-level weakling might've just encountered an opportunity—and opportunity can be stolen!"
While they were on the run, their people also studied the place, realizing that the place was even more magical than what was initially thought.
It could create delicious food, protect people from harm—even against mobs of fortified level monsters—had a clinic, and even had a miraculous messaging system. People could even appear from level 1 to level 2 in the blink of an eye!
It was too farfetched to believe at first, until people who had no gains to lie were saying the same thing, and people from different territories talked about the details consistently.
The more they heard, the greedier they got.
If they took over, wouldn't they have the resources akin to several towns? If they took over, the barrier would protect them instead!
After suffering in the desert for days, Baldov was more vindictive than ever. "It's decided! We will take revenge for the humiliation those bastards subjected us, too!
"That Inn will be OURS!"