157 The Voice...

[ Hidden Quest Complete! ]

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Trial of the Past 

Details:

The user has chosen to partake in a trial to test out how he could deal with and overcome their past without losing sense of one's self in the process. 

Conditions to complete: Complete the trial by surviving it under the set requirements of the trial master.

Time limit: None

Rewards:

+100 XP to Dragon skill tree

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[System Alert!]

[Dragon skill tree level up!]

[Ability Level up!]

[Skill: Body of Ice level up!]

[Skill: Draconic Blood level up!]

[Skill: Draconic Scales level up!]

[Skill: Emperor's Roar Level up!]

[System Alert! ]

[New skill unlocked!]

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Basic Ice manipulation [Level 1] (passive)

The user has a very basic over control Ice, making it easier and more efficient to use and manipulate using the user's mana.

Cost: It Depends...

Strength +50

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Body of Ice [ level 2] (Passive) 

Due to the user's ice ability, their body is now enhanced and more powerful.

Effects: 

+150 strength

+135 agility

+150 intelligence 

+105 endurance

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Draconic Blood [ Level 2] (Passive)

The Host's power is strengthened due to his draconic blood.

All stats except for mind +120

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Draconic Scales [ Level 2] (Passive)

The host's skin is hardened due to his new draconic skin.

Endurance +100

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[ Emperor's Roar (Level 2) ]

The user lets out a mighty dragon roar that causes strong shockwaves to ring throughout the air. 

Side effects may include fear and ear damage.

Cost: 100 demon energy

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Name: Moby Kane 

Race: Draconic Demon Of Sin 

Ability: Level 8 Ice

Level: 50 

XP to next level 45,900/50,000 

Dragon skill tree level: 2

Dragon skill tree XP to next level: 0/500

Power Level: 23,470 

Hp: 188/188

Demon Energy: 612 /612 

Mana: 612 /612 

Demon Energy/Mana regeneration: 383 Energy/Hour 

Strength: 591 

Agility: 647 

Endurance: 497 

Intelligence: 612 

Mind: 100 

Available Points to distribute: 0 

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The skills that levelled up were all of his dragon and ice-related skills, all except for "Freezing Time" Which was still at level 1. He attributed this to the fact that his ice ability and dragon blood were now mixed into one entity so, if he trained one it would also train the other at the same time, making them connected. However, that was still just a theory but the only plausible explanation he could think of with his current knowledge.

When he checked his stats, he noticed that the stat change was astronomical. 120 points to strength, 90 to Agility, 80 to intelligence, and finally, 120 to endurance with no increase in mind, totalling up to 410 stats. This pushed him well over the threshold of high B rank as he was now a low A rank instead. 

Although the point distribution was not at all ideal for the build Moby wanted, as he wanted to go for a high agility utility build, he would be lying to say that he wasn't satisfied. At the end of the day, 410 stats are still 410 stats no matter where they go as he could easily optimize his stat distribution at a later time. 

The biggest thing he had noticed was that he now gained a new "Basic Ice Manipulation" skill that allowed him to control ice in basic ways, something that he didn't even notice that he lacked from before. Either that Avilia had forgotten to give him that skill upon his ability gain or that was an actual new skill. If the latter was the case, something that he was strongly leaning to, that was probably the reason why his old ice manipulation felt so weak, ineffective, and inefficient. Now, with that new skill, he hoped that he would now have a better, stronger, more efficient use of his ice powers, making him really excited to test it out.

The stat point and skill increases were so generous and outstanding that it felt almost like he had gone through an evolution without all of the new skills and system boosts that came along with it, it was almost too good to be true.

However, he knew that he would not be able to do it very often as trials and power boosts like these would most likely be very rare.

He also noticed that there was now an extra XP bar and level for his dragon skill tree located under where his normal level and XP bar were situated. From completing the trial, he gained a total of 100 XP towards his dragon skill tree which was exactly enough to level it up. For his next level up, he needed 500 XP, 400 more than the previous level. Those are like 5 of the trials he had just taken which were already extremely difficult. If he had to face a trial 5 times harder than the one he just had, he was not fully confident in his ability to complete it successfully.

This also matched with what Professor Leo said about how the farther one trains and refines their ability the harder and less often a person would be able to strengthen it. Then, eventually, a person would reach their limit, a certain threshold where they would not be able to continue anymore, and that some families had secret techniques and strategies to overcome most of those thresholds, keeping them always on top. That was what separated the normal people from the powerful and elites, those are the people that could break past their limits and continue to grow stronger.

The experience he had gone through was very similar to what Professor Leo described. About how a person might have to undergo a test or certain conditions depending on the type and ability of their certain inner spirit. Yet, in his case, he did not have an inner spirit to strengthen his bond with like all the others, all he had was his dragon blood that had absorbed his ability, and unlike them, he was a demon and not a human. So, he assumed that he could have gone through a different experience, something unique to him which might have not been the case in actuality, the only way he would know and find out was if he asked others for their experiences.

But for now, that was the least of his worries, his true concern was that majestic voice he heard in that golden space in his mind.

'I wonder what that golden space and who's sound that was… And, I wonder if that was a fragment of my own past memories or was just made up for the purposes of the trial... I went through so much shit when I was younger and I can't remember all of it… If the former is correct, that meant that I actually ate a piece of…' Moby thought, stopping himself in the middle of his thoughts as he felt a bad feeling in his stomach before forgetting all about it, hoping that it was the latter that was true as he continued his previous train of thought.

He wondered how was it even possible to be given a test by something that was supposed to be dead… Was it somehow still alive? Or was it something else...

In his mind, there were only 3 plausible explanations…

The first, and the one he thought was most probable, was that the voice belonged to Avilia who had changed her speech using magic to make her sound like a deep, majestic voiced creature to either prank him or try and sound as cool as possible to impress him, making her the one who had set up that trial.

The second was that the wolf pulled the biggest brain move by killing itself to infuse its essence with his dragon powers, interns highjacking it to make itself more powerful, something that he really wished was not the case as it was the worst scenario in his mind.

And, last but not least, he thought that it might have been some sort of unknown entity, other than Avilia who was also residing in his body, something or someone that had laid dormant for his entire life and only decided to show themselves at that moment to administer that trial. Maybe some sort of dragon inside his mind which seemed extremely farfetched yet still not impossible in Moby's mind. 

For now, he was able to debunk or confirm his first theory by directly asking Avilia herself if she was the one responsible.

'Hey, Avilia wa…' Moby said, before being cut off by Avilia as she had already surmised what his question was going to be before he even asked it.

'No, that was not me that did that, I have no idea what even happened. I spectated your entire test and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with your actions, When you had finished your trial, for a split second, I sensed the existence of another being or entity inside your head. And, just like you, I was able to hear their sound.'

'It sounded almost familiar yet I can't remember where or if I was just imagining things, but I know that it definitely did not belong to that ice wolf from earlier unless it had changed how it sounded if it's still alive in your dragon blood. I tried my best to investigate the source but as soon as it arrived it suddenly vanished, I was not able to locate it or even find anything about it. It was very elusive. And once it vanished it was almost like it no longer even existed which still baffles me to this moment.'

'There are mysteries in your own body that even I can't find out about, and I live here for fuck sake! I can't even do such a simple task in my meagre state! It's pure torture knowing that I, once the most powerful being in all the 3 realms, has been reduced to such a useless nagging voice. Until you find me a new body and a transfer method, it is up to you to figure out these mysteries and help me out until then, I really want to find out about what that was and how the 3 realms had changed before you finally become the demon lord. And interns I will give you my full support and assistance in anything and everything you need, I am pretty much committed to you at this point, I guess you wouldn't make a bad demon lord. Unless you fuck up big time, I don't see that changing,' Avilia said, going on a huge rant that took Moby aback as he listened to everything she said with an immense concentration on her every word.

He now knew that it wasn't Avilia that administered that trial which made him inwardly panic as it must have been one of the other 2 theories he gave, not leaning to either side as he thought both ideas were equally possible. The main problem was that he did not know if that voice was on his side or not. Even though they sounded very kind and gentle, the reality could be very different. He could easily be trying to sway or manipulate Moby into trusting him before trying to take over his body, something that he felt Avilia would also do before he actually got to know her and who she was.

Nevertheless, all that he could do now was baseless speculation as he had no conclusive lead to follow to where he could find any information. All he knew was that he gained a great deal of power from the trial and if he ever wanted to have a chance at communicating with that unknown entity again, he would have to partake in a second trial, something that he was not sure when it would happen or be eligible for. All he could do now was train and wait until then to hopefully find his answer…

'Don't worry about it Avilia, I will definitely find out about this during my next trial. Trust me, I am even more curious than you when it comes to that matter, an unknown entity in my body is not something I take too kindly to. Thank you for trusting me and for y-' Moby said, responding to Avilia before a sudden gasp and screech enter his ears, making him stop what he was saying to see what happened.

The sound had come directly from his right, exactly where Abby was sat. When he looked to see her, he saw something that he did not at all expect. 

Abby's entire body was sweating in litres, much more than his own when he finished his trial, her face was as pale as a ghost, panting profusely with her eyes wide open in what looked like shock, a mixture of a twitching smile and frown on her face making her look crazy, her right hand tightly clenching her heart. It looked like she had just come out of her worst nightmare…