Slap!

…

Slap!

“Huh?”

Novus’ ears were the first to react since his eyes didn’t want to open straight away. It sounded like slapping sounds... When he finally opened his eyes, it was with the stinging sensation of pain.

Slap!

“Oh. You’re awake.”

Favur’s bushy tail swayed back and forth as her head tilted to the side. Even through his blurred vision, Novus could see the twitching bushy fox ears atop Favur’s head.

“Wha—”

Novus’ mouth didn’t cooperate with making words, and his arms seemed weighed down by something when he tried to move them.

Pew!

Suddenly, the weight on one of his arms shifted, and he watched as Mino buzzed in the air with excitement. With one arm now free, Novus could touch the chipmunk cheeks that Favur had slapped into his face.

“Wha Wouu you oo hat. Slee mahic.”

Favur scratched her cheek with her finger and turned her head away with embarrassment.

“I can’t exactly awaken people. I’ve only ever had to put someone to sleep.”

The eyelids that Novus was barely managing to keep open shut as he complained inwardly with a plethora of curses.

What even gave her the idea to slap me awake? And she has not two, but three different forms? What’s going on?

Suddenly, a voice echoed into Novus' head.

Human... sorry. Can I go back now?

Novus let out a strained breath and thought about his action.

Unsummon Favur.

The weight of Favur’s human form disappeared into glittering lights that travelled back to the revealed tattoo on Novus’ forehead.

Pew!

Mino soon disappeared as well and transferred a reasonable amount of soul power towards regenerating Novus’ face back to normal.

However, a new commotion arose as a flood of system messages were all hounding Novus.

 

…

My mana core!

Many of the messages were about the prism mana core project that Novus had undergone, and he quickly raced to observe inside his mana core area.

A gently rotating black pearl-like sphere was sitting in Novus’ mana core area. The sphere was, of course, a seemingly stable mana core that had elemental and prism mana particles leaping all around it. Outside the mana core was a series of intricate spell formations that blocked particles from entering Novus’ body too fast.

What in the…

Novus sensed a mana particle sucked into his body, travelling alongside his raw-feeling mana channels, and escaping into his mana core areas as a prism mana particle that remained stuck onto his mana core, gradually fusing with it. Soon after, the particle shrunk and flattened as a force inside the mana core condensed the particle inwards.

Novus had never seen anything like it.

I knew the core would likely be unique, but this is ridiculous.

And it was ridiculous. A work of miraculous nature as ambient mana passed through Novus’ channels to his mana core and gradually converted, melded and refined into it.

To Novus, it was an autonomous mana core that would strengthen as time passed and exceeded Novus’ expectations and knowledge.

Dragons don’t cultivate like humans, but even they would have trouble condensing something like this.

No matter how Novus spun it, it didn’t make sense, but he was forced to accept reality when he watched for a time without hiccups or interruptions.

It wasn’t until he painfully activated some mana to assist in repairing his facial features that Novus felt truly convinced. He continued checking his body’s condition and noticed his mana vessels had somewhat improved. It was only the area around his mana core, but it at least showed that the mana vessels were slowly recovering like any other bodily vessels. Still, at the rate it seemed to be recovering, it would take a long while to heal naturally.

Pew?

Mino’s voice rang out, and Novus thought of a quote.

“Don’t question gifts, only their origin.”

Novus reopened his eyes and let out a hearty chuckle that he hadn’t made in a very long time. If anything in this world hadn’t already tried to kill him, it was that little black beetle.

“Hahaha! Mino! You’re too amazing!”

Pew!

Novus was gradually getting used to blinking, and within moments, his face was mainly recovered except for a few dark patches near his eyes. At first, the light stung Novus’ eyes, but he gradually got used to it.

“Ah.”

Suddenly, it hit Novus. Light. The light was shining into the cave.

It’s morning!

Novus rushed to his feet and channelled his mana on rushed instinct.

Slam! Thud!

Reinforced by mana, Novus’ foot pierced through the ground and planted his face directly into the ground. Thankfully, Novus’ face was already undergoing a round of reinforced mana healing, and he avoided another round of swollen face syndrome.

The expected anger at falling wasn’t seen as Novus’ eyes sparkled with dirt falling from his cheek. Instead, like a child who acquired a new toy, the mana within Novus’ core swirled as his mana vessels tingled. At this point, the pain from mana flowing through his mana vessels was like a dull ache rather than the previously sharp stabs.

Novus could handle that type of pain.

The familiar crimson halo appeared on Novus’ back; however, this halo was incomparably opaque like a ring of fire at a circus.

Whoosh!

The blazing halo rapidly transformed into crimson wings that illuminated the cave. Then, after confirming the triumphant feeling of mana and magic returning to him again, Novus fluttered his wings and shot out of the cave and into the clear mountain air.

The faint illumination of dawn was seen as Delia and Phoebus met in the sky. Phoebus would overtake Delia within moments, and morning would flourish across all of Avalan.

Whoosh!

Relishing the feeling of mana, magic, the crisp air and the wind ruffling through his hair, Novus twirled inside the clear, blue sky. It seemed that the previous mana-rich mist had disappeared while Novus was unconscious.

Novus pondered that perhaps that was because of him.

Regardless, that made flying easy with a clear sky like this morning. Immediately, Novus spotted the small dot at the mountain top and raced into the vast heavens above.

Vrrrr.

Wind raced behind Novus as the small dot gradually became a familiar figure standing on nothing but the air itself. Finally, with a turn of his crimson wings, Novus was side-by-side with a silent Edna, who had her arms crossed as she stared out into the ocean. A glazed look was set across her eyes, thinking about things that Novus didn't know.

The ocean dawn felt warm to Novus’ skin as he waited for Edna to finish collecting her thoughts. Finally, Edna's eyes blinked, revealing a set of ocean-blue eyes that briefly glanced at Novus and then pulled back into the distance.

“It’s like my hometown.”

Novus’ head turned towards the horizon and spoke in a relaxed tone.

“You lived on an island?”

Edna gently shook her head.

“I used to live on the coast. I would watch the sunrise with my parents each morning before their fishing trips.”

Edna’s eyes refused to budge as she watched Phoebus cast an overtaking light across Delia.

“Edna—”

Edna laughed and interrupted Novus before he could speak.

“Ha, look at me. I must seem like an old hag reminiscing about her younger days. Rather, I should be congratulating you on becoming a little monster.”

Edna returned her head towards Novus, and her piercing eyes seemed like they had already seen through every inch of Novus’ body. Edna’s expression lightened as she spoke more.

“Really, to try and refine a mana core out of prism mana is insane. The foundation needed even to try was far from what you could have—”

“Thank you.”

Edna’s words stopped dead in their tracks. Novus’ stare and thanks uncomforted Edna, and after a moment of silence, she changed the topic once more.

“If you had died, then you would’ve been late. If there is one thing the pantheon doesn't enjoy, it's people being late. See, the vanguard is already here.”

Novus turned his gaze away from Edna and stared out towards the open ocean. Far away was a dot glittering with a brightness that matched the sun and a size that rivalled the entire island, even from afar. Unconsciously, Novus spoke a couple of words aloud.

“The Galahad…”

Edna lightly nodded and spoke with a mix of emotions.

“Indeed. The pantheon seems to hold the island in high regard. They sent their highest rank skyship to escort us to Sword Saint Mountain.”

Novus’ voice didn’t register kindly in Edna’s ears.

“Xavier holds you in high regard.”

…

Edna remained silent, and they both stared at the massive skyship on the horizon.

…

“Thank you...”

Edna’s eyes finally met Novus’ deep, golden irises.

“...For everything.”

Novus finished his words and looked back to see various other sea and flying vessels appearing behind The Galahad. Edna continued to stare at Novus for a while before she unfolded her arms and left them by her side.

“You’re welcome.”