CG Chapter 61: A Heavy Back

The basement was filled with silence; while Tom was thinking over the information he had, he understood better than anyone else that every world held a secret, and the secret of this one seemed to be more profound than he expected.

This secret might just elevate his strength to a whole new level; a thought came to his mind, and a grand plan began to form.

However, his train of thought was quickly shattered by a question.

"Are you okay?" Hidden shouted.

He didn't know what to do before since everything happened so quickly, but now that he had regained his composure, he couldn't help but feel relief that Tom was fine.

As Tom turned his head toward Hidden, he heard another cry.

"Please stop. My ears are going to burst; why are you shouting again?" Tom asked with annoyance. He already had too many things to think about.

"Your right eye color changed; you have two colors in one eye, and you have both red and blue in one eye." Hidden stammered.

Hmm, I ensured that the blood didn't enter my body; this change is probably due to the energy of the earrings.' Thinking about that, Tom answered, "Even if my eye colors changed, I am sure that I am not the first person to have a dual-colored eye; why are you acting as if you have seen a ghost?"

"No, there isn't." Hidden shook his head.

"Despite how silly it might sound, the color of the eyes and hair are absolute. They are passed down from generation to generation; even when people from different kingdoms mate, their offspring will acquire the color of the stronger parent. If you go outside like this, you will be hunted down by the churches, and people will think that you are a spawn from hell."

Tom thought, 'Well, they wouldn't be wrong, although I am much worse than any hellspawn.'

"I see. Don't worry about it; just bring me an eyepatch for now." Tom replied; he strangely smiled despite the situation. 'So my thoughts were correct after all, this world… No, it's too early to think about it. I would need to possess immense energy greater than that of a knight or a grand knight before I can do that.'

*Crackle*

The basement shook as if the earth were going to open and swallow them. The two felt the urgent need to leave.

They ran like bolts of lightning toward the exit. However, as Tom looked back, he noticed that Hidden was slowing down; it seemed his injuries were deeper than expected.

Knowing that he still had his uses, Tom grabbed him and carried him in a princess carry toward the exit.

The walls collapsed behind them, and Tom's eyes and mind worked as one, analyzing whether he could save Hidden alongside himself.

He breathed in the cold, frigid air, which quickly cooled his body, before exhaling a hot breath. Looking at the young man who carried him, Hidden could swear he almost saw smoke coming from Tom's nostrils.

However, Tom wasn't aware of any of this; his sole focus was to get out of the basement alive in one piece.

Although carrying Hidden might have been risky, it was a risk he was willing to take to obtain the manual.

Knowing the ways of assassins and their measures to keep secrets, Tom was certain that even if he searched every inch of Alamut, he wouldn't find a hard copy of the manual. If Hidden died, the manual would die with him.

The exit was in sight, but the falling walls quickly caught up to them.

In this critical moment, Tom made up his mind; he grabbed Hidden by his arm and, using his full strength, threw him forward before jumping after him.

*Boom*

Rubble spread through the training ground, and dust filled the air.

The fate of the two was uncertain until.

*Cough* *Cough*

"I should have thought about it when I saw the mildew; the structural integrity of the basement had been damaged by the passage of time. I should have left once I got the earrings."

Sensing the earrings that hung from each ear, Tom grinned. "Well, it was all worth it. *Cough* These earrings will play a big role in what comes next."

"Hidden, are you alive?" Tom waved away the dust with his hand, trying to find Hidden, and sure enough, the pathetic sight of a battered man lay in front of him.

Moving forward, Tom held Hidden's hand before sighing in relief; fortunately, the bodies of formal knights were much stronger than those of the average man. Even with injuries, they could survive getting thrown around.

*Clap* *Clap*

Receiving Tom's slaps, Hidden slowly opened his eyes. "You should have left me to die." His voice held a deep sense of shame, yet he was still happy to see both of them alive and well. He felt it was his responsibility as the guardian of the treasure to keep it safe and that he had failed at his duty.

Hidden didn't think for much longer; he called for the assassins to come in and clear the rubble. While one of the assassins, carrying a medical kit, came to heal their injuries.

…

Time passed, and Tom spent several days in the mountains, gradually recovering his strength.

At first, he focused on recovering, but quickly, he asked for the manual from Hidden, who gladly handed it over.

The 'Snowstorm-Style' and the 'Emberstorm-Style' formed the complete inheritances left behind by the ancestors of Flameheart and Alamut. They were two sides of the same coin, yet for so long, they had remained separate.

For any manual to be recognized as an authentic one, it needs to fulfill a couple of criteria. The first part was the training section, which outlined the knight's progression through the ranks. The second was the auxiliary part, focusing on the different battle techniques, such as movement and attack.

Recalling their battle, Tom wanted to understand how Hidden retracted and launched his black claws.

While battling Hidden, Tom came up with an idea of how to improve that technique. He wanted to try adding poison to the claws. With time, a simple scratch would cause even the mightiest beast to fall.

Tom quickly grasped the technique's mechanics; the concept was quite simple to him: by channeling the cold vigor of 'Snowstorm-Style,' the coldness would cause the nails to harden, and as a form of energy, vigor would cause the nails to grow. 

By channeling it through his nails, they would transform into sharp claws capable of tearing through skin and flesh.

After memorizing the 'Snowstorm-Style,' Tom fused both manuals into one. Alongside the 'Ruby Heart,' he created a new manual that surpassed both, a manual that used both ice and fire, ensuring his ascension to the pinnacle of this world.

He created the 'The Frostfire Knight Body' and resolved to incorporate all future manuals from this world into it.

Training with his new manual and experimenting with various poisons, Tom's power surged, signaling it was time to depart for the grand library of Solaria; Alamut was merely a waypoint on his journey.

…

Once again, Tom's lonely path to immortality diverged from the masses. He trod on this path for a millennium and will continue to walk it for much longer.

Hidden watched Tom's back, and for an inexplicable reason, his heart shook; he felt that Tom's back carried the weight of one thousand and one stories.

A tear escaped his eyes, feeling Tom's loneliness from afar reminded him of himself.

"Hah! Dust must have entered my eyes. I must return to my duties; there are still many things to fix inside."