"It's possible to transfer an ability?!" Kieran asked with a trembling voice.

"Yes, but only a True God is capable of doing such things," replied Runihoril.

"A True God?"

"The True Gods represent the end of the cultivation, it's the last rank of the divine realm. They are the pinnacle of the universe and possess a life expectancy of several million years. Yet, even these beings cannot easily accomplish such a feat. There is practically no precedent of someone surviving the transfer of their ability. The abilities of the crystal trees are linked to the spiritual world, which is itself connected to a cultivator's soul. Transferring one's ability is akin to violently ripping a part of one's soul while avoiding regenerating it. Otherwise, the ability will return to its true owner.

Such a process has killed more than one True God, but the abilities they transferred at the cost of their lives saw their power weaken until finally disappearing shortly after their death.

Only the survival of a True God can allow the transferred abilities to persist, but no True God would be willing to do such a thing because even if they succeed, the state they will be in after the process will be worse than death. They would neither be able to live nor die. Their bodies would be like corpses, incapable of performing the slightest functions or thinking, their souls continually in pain and bruised by the loss of their capacity."

Kieran's face was pale. Thinking about everything that had happened during his dream and the smiles that the elf queen gave him despite having resolved to such a fate, he finally understood the emotions that the Kieran in his dream felt.

'They weren't just dreams. If everything is true and with what Master just told me... Then the ability that she transfers to me...'

"I still don't know where your dreams come from, if they are visions of the future or from another life, but you must have realized it for yourself after what I have just explained to you. You don't have any crystal tree that could explain the ability that allows you to see the paths of evolution as well as to force the creation of soul crystals. I finally understand how such an ability could appear when you were only an Iron rank. Coming from a True God, it's no wonder it's so powerful," said Runihoril.

Kieran gritted his teeth when a sudden thought crossed his mind.

"If this is an event that is supposed to happen in the future or in another life, doesn't that mean that, for the moment, her soul is intact?" a light of hope shone in his eyes as he spoke these words.

"That's not how it works. Regardless of the timeline in which she carried out the transfer of her ability, her ability is still in you and affects her indirectly. From the moment you were born, her body underwent the ability transfer."

Kieran stood up instantly, unconsciously shouting towards Runihoril as his voice was filled with pain every time the image of the Elf Queen appeared in his mind without him being able to control it, "You mean she's been suffering for 19 years?! Why?! Why would a True God sacrifice herself for me?! I couldn't even save my city and even less my parents despite the ability she had transferred to me. How am I supposed to succeed in a project they entrusted me?"

"Calm down. I don't know what project they entrusted to you, and until now, all your dreams only happen when you suffer a violent emotional shock or with each of your breakthroughs. The only way for you to learn more about this project is to cultivate and become stronger. You can't do anything for her in your current state. You don't know where her body is or even if she will accept to take back her ability. All I can tell you is that there must be a good reason for her to have sacrificed so much."

"How long will it take me to reach the rank of a True God?" Kieran suddenly asked with a determined look.

"It's..."

"Please, Master."

"It is impossible to know exactly when you will reach this rank and if it will even be possible for you to reach it in your lifetime. It is possible that a genius will not achieve it even after 100,000 years and die trying to reach it. No matter how much you want to help her, she had resigned herself to this fate and knew she would have to endure it for thousands of years. If you rush, you will only ruin your foundation and make her sacrifice vain."

Kieran gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. Luna, who was still held in his arms, rubbed her head against him, trying to comfort him.

'Why did she do that?'

Not understanding what could have motivated the Elf Queen to sacrifice so much for him, he forced himself to remember his dream over and over again without being able to find the slightest clue that could help him understand.

The last words the Elf Queen had spoken echoed in his mind.

'Was the woman they were talking about in my dream the same one who was with me on the plain? Are the Elf Queen and the woman on the plain related? I can't even see her face or what she looks like. How can I take care of her? If she is related to the Elf Queen, she must be an elf too. I can't yet go to the elves' realms with my current strength, and only the kingdom of Loania has signed a peace treaty with the Aegis Alliance.'

Kieran let out a long sigh, unable to find a single solution.

"In the end, even after spending all this time training to breakthrough to Silver rank, my strength is still worthless in this world," a self-deprecating laugh escaped his mouth.

"I understand how you may feel right now, but the goal you are aiming for is too far in the future. Focus on the present for now. Complete the evolution of your crystal trees to Silver rank and then aim for the Gold rank," said Runihoril.

"I haven't found any information regarding a crystalized earth essence."

"What about the message your brother sent you several weeks ago? Wasn't the deadline today?"

Kieran accessed the messages on his aurora collar before opening the messages exchanged with Ryan.

[ - 20,998 August 14 -

Ryan: Where did you go?! Don't cross a rift in your state!

Ryan: Come back to the hospital!

Ryan: Answer me!
...
...

- 20,998 September 8 -

Ryan: You've been gone for almost a month now. I know I'm weak and I'm no help to you, but please answer me.
...
...

- 20,998 September 24 -

Ryan: I don't even know if you're dead or not. I've been thinking a lot lately, and I'm starting to realize that you're probably avoiding me because our parents died trying to protect me...
...
...

- 20,998 November 4 -

Ryan: I don't care if you're alive or dead. You can die alone inside a rift. I don't care!
...
...

- 20,998 November 10 -

Ryan: Please... Just tell me you're alive.
...
...

- 20,998 November 14 -

Kieran: I'm alive. Nothing that happened that day is your fault. The one who should feel at fault is me. I wasted my time protecting strangers while you were attacked by beasts. If I had been stronger, none of this would have happened.

Ryan: You... Idiot...
...
...

- 20,998 December 8 -

Ryan: I found information regarding the crystalized essences you are looking for. A crystalized essence of fire will be put up for sale at an auction in the Capital in about three months.

Ryan: For the crystalized earth essence, these are only rumors, but the secret realm of the Transcendental Ostrion Academy, which only opens once every thousand years, would be filled with earth elements, all kinds of natural treasure linked to the earth element can be found inside and according to some, crystalized essence of earth have already been found inside in the past and next year it will be a thousand years since the last time it opened.

Ryan: The only problem is that only students from the best academies of the Aegis Alliance can enter inside, including those from the Transcendental Ostrion Academy. Inscriptions for next year have already started. I have already enrolled myself.
...
...

- 20,998 December 17 -

Kieran: Thank you. I will try to stay in the Capital rifts for the next few months to try to purchase the crystalized essence of fire.

Ryan: Don't you want to join the Transcendal Ostrion Academy to enter the secret realm?

Kieran: I don't want to stay in an academy for several months before I can enter a secret realm. I will find a crystalized essence of earth elsewhere.

Ryan: Okay. If you change your mind, the inscription closes on January 12.]

"I would have to stay in the academy for several months before I can enter the secret realm, and it's not even certain that a crystalized essence of earth is inside," Kieran said.

"But that's the only lead you have for now. Besides, you've been constantly diving into the rifts for the past five months. Don't you think returning to civilization will do you good? You can cultivate in the academy," replied Runihoril.

"I cultivate faster inside the rifts."

"How can you know? You've never been there. Do you even know what their study program is? If they have formation arrays to train their students? If there are competent Professors or not?"

"I... I have Master with me. I don't need all that."

"The things I can teach you are limited by my memories. You still haven't learned a single movement technique because I erased my memories of them and couldn't teach you any. You limit yourself by depending only on me for your teaching. I am not omnipotent as you seem to think. Going on an adventure far from any protection is a good thing, but living like this constantly is not good either."

"But…" Kieran hesitated as his thoughts became a mess.

"I don't know why you are so stubborn about not wanting to take a single break. I know everything that happened to you and your last dream probably made this feeling of helplessness that you feel even stronger, but you have the right to stop. If you continue like this, your body will eventually give out. Maybe it will only happen in ten years or even in a hundred years, but at one point or another, you will no longer be able to move forward."

'Do I really have the right to stop? My parents died because I wasn't strong enough to protect them. What if the same thing happens again, and I'm not strong enough to protect Ryan because I stopped? Can I really stop when she is suffering right now because she entrusted me with her ability? What if I stop and can't prevent the dragon's claw from taking her life? I... I...'

Kieran tightened his hands into a fist. His body shook slightly as his mind was haunted by thoughts of the bodies of his parents, the Elf Queen who was in pain with every passing second, and the nightmares that invaded him every time he closed his eyes to show him the horrible sight of "her" dying, pierced by the claw of the silver dragon or the destruction of Ozryn as well as the sight of the lifeless bodies of his family.

Suddenly, he felt a hand placed on his head, making him raise his eyes, which looked like two ambers, to stare at a pair of golden eyes that looked at him with warmth in them, gradually making the tremors in his body disappear.

"You have the right to stop struggling inside the rifts and live normally in a city. This does not mean that you will not progress in your cultivation, don't worry. If you don't find the evolution materials you need, you will be locked in the silver rank for a while no matter where you are. Evolve your two crystal trees and leave this rift to join your brother at the academy."

Runihoril's voice wasn't loud, but it was warm, each word ringing clearly in Kieran's mind. A single tear fell from his eyes as he quickly wiped them while nodding.

"Yes, Master."

Runihoril smiled as he saw Kieran nod and sit down before releasing Luna to begin evolving his crystal trees.

A pile of bones emitting a dull yellow glow, as well as a heart as large as himself surrounded by flame, appeared in front of Kieran. Two crystals seeming to contain a universe within them appeared in each of his hands.

As if smelling exquisite food, the roots of his crystal trees left his spiritual world, appearing before him.

The roots of the Earth Wolf Transformation Crystal Tree surrounded the soul crystal in his left hand as well as all the bones, which emitted a dull yellow glow, while the roots of the Fire Giant Transformation Crystal Tree surrounded the soul crystal in his right hand and the flaming heart.

Slowly, under the energy of the crystal trees, the catalysts for their evolution were transformed into a red and yellow gem that shone with a blinding brilliance before the roots tightened their grip on them and returned inside his spiritual world.

A tremor appeared in his spiritual world as two sparkling lights, one red and one yellow, split his spiritual world in two. Two towering, illusory trees appeared above him, causing a powerful aura to appear around him and spread to the surrounding area.

Several minutes passed in this state before the two illusory trees disappeared, and he opened his eyes, a red and yellow light escaping from them for a moment before returning to normal.

A golden halo filled with ancient inscriptions formed in his right eye.

[Kieran Arvost]

[Crystal Tree Status (1):
Name: Rock Wolf Transformation
Refinement Rate: 2000/20,000]
[Crystal Tree Status (2):
Name: Giant Swordsman of Fire Transformation
Refinement Rate: 2000/20,000]
[Crystal Essence: 4000]

[Path of evolution (1):
Bloodthirsty Mountain Wolf Transformation. Evolution Conditions: Soul Crystal Bloodrage Fury Gold Grade, Stone Giant Heart Gold Grade, Thousand-Year Old Crystallized Earth Essence
Bloodthirsty Mountain King Wolf Transformation. Evolution Conditions: Soul Crystal Earth Pulse Diamond Grade, Soul Crystal King Aura Diamond Grade, Blood King Wolf Fangs Diamond Grade
????. Evolution of conditions: ?
????. Evolution of conditions: ?
........ ]

[Path of evolution (1):
Draconic Fire Giant Transformation. Evolution Conditions: Soul Crystal Sword Ghost Gold Grade, Fire Drake Blood Gold Grade, Thousand-Year Old Crystallized Fire Essence
Draconic Flameforged Giant Transformation. Evolution Conditions: Soul Crystal Flameforged Armor Diamond Grade, Soul Crystal Draconic Dominion Diamond Grade, Ten-Thousand-Year Old Crimson Meteorite
????. Evolution of conditions: ?
????. Evolution of conditions: ?
........ ]

Kieran only took a quick glance at the window in front of him before using both of his abilities.

His body took on a distorted appearance for several minutes before he adjusted to the change in his abilities and directed them correctly throughout his body.

The form of a Lycan slowly appeared. His exterior appearance had barely changed apart from his size, which had increased slightly to reach 3.50 meters in height, and his claws, which had a dull yellow tint with a slight red glow on them.

The biggest change had appeared inside his body. With each breath, fire seemed to burst from his mouth as if a fire was burning inside him. His bones had become much denser than before, making his body heavier and stronger.

He tightened his hands several times while moving parts of his body slightly to get used to the change while elemental particles of fire and earth began to dance around him without him concentrating on gathering them.

"So? How is it?" Runihoril asked with a smile.

"My body feels heavier than before, but I feel like my affinity with the elements has increased slightly."

"That's a good thing. Given the level you had before your breakthrough, you should be able to reach the second rank of elemental affinity cultivation within a few weeks and create an elemental core in your spiritual world for each of them. Try holding your double-bladed sword to see."

A black double-bladed sword appeared in Kieran's hands, his eyes widening in surprise as he tightened his grip on the hilt. His hand moved slightly, and a clean cut appeared on the ground in front of him.

Spinning the double-bladed sword in his hands, he slashed several times in front of him, the blades leaving cuts in the air with each of his movements without any superfluous actions that could disrupt the rhythm at which the two blades constantly exchanged places.

"It's amazing. I feel like it's become easier to use the double-bladed sword."

"In addition to improving your proficiency with sword-type weapons, the evolution of your giant transformation crystal tree should allow you to increase the speed at which you get used to a weapon as well as the speed at which you're learning sword techniques. You should go now. You can test how much stronger you've become in the city once you complete your inscription."

"Yes. Luna! Let's go!"

Luna, who had gone for a walk while Kieran evolved his two crystal trees, swam up to him with moans before entering his spiritual world.
The next moment, Kieran checked the direction of the refuge on a map he had downloaded before disappearing from his location in a black blur.

Sleds

Sorry for the late update. The Cover for the second volume are here! I wish you a Merry Christmas. The chapter for Monday will be postponed to Tuesday.

Cover Volume 2: