Chapter 152 - The True Beginning (15)

Caesar was slightly bewildered. He hadn't thought Basil could recover that fast, even though Basil had the help of Catalyst. Catalyst was nothing more than just that ... Catalyst.

Its function was to solely make one's body be more in tune with Nature Mana; it should do nothing much than that.

Even though it could boost one's recovery rate, it wouldn't be as astronomical as what it had done to Basil.

With injuries of that magnitude, Caesar had predicted it should have at least taken Basil 4 days to recover, even with the help of Catalyst. Bewilderingly, it had only taken him three fourth of the predicted time.

The only explanation for this was Basil's naturally abnormal vitality, and, of course, [Star Withering].

What was [Star Withering]? It was the strongest Body Forging Technique the Guide had provided him; the one with highest compatibility with him.

It was nothing surprising it gave him a close to miracle effect in times like this.

When he recovered, Basil didn't stay idle; he was quick to proceed the plan he had made in his mind.

'Guide, how much time do I have left until the Obelisk of Goap's Outbreak?'

[Rough calculation of the remaining time untill the Obelisk of Goap's outbreak: 23 days, 1 hours, and 24 seconds.]

Basil hummed to himself in silent contemplation. The last time he had checked, there had been 19 days left until the Outbreak—the remaining time had changed.

Although the added time wasn't that much, it proved that Basil not only could make some happenings occur earlier, but also slower. Still, Basil didn't know how much he had actually changed the course of the event.

The Guide provided him with nothing but merely a rough calculation—a prediction. Logically speaking, Basil's decision to block the tunnel could not possibly affect the Outbreak.

There was no consequential relation between the happening inside Howl Dungeon and the Obelisk of Goap that was located in BA-32, more than 400 kilometers away from Lone Plain.

Even if he blew up the entire Dungeon, it would hold no effect to the other side. Still, it was just the way he saw things—his rationalization of the events.

Unfortunately, the event that had happened until now hadn't been consequentially logical.

He had stomped his urge to travel around, and decided to spend his time slowly advancing in the Academy; not only it was safer that way, he could also avoid changing the timeline too much.

But still, the Regional Tournament that should've been postponed until a year later had happened. He didn't know what his deal in the event had been, and he was sure he had done nothing.

Logically speaking, his soul's return to this time shouldn't have affected an event that should have happened in three more years, such as, the Obelisk of Goap's Outbreak.

What did he do to accelerate the happening? None.

However, that is just how time works: it is funny, and it was still beyond his comprehension. He could think of a thousand theories regarding how time works, but he could never prove his theory.

Even in his past life, he had never dwelled in Time Magic, the specialty of a specific race—Fairy.

"Caesar. Let us have another Battle." Basil turned to Caesar. "The time is running thin; I do not want to dwell in this place any longer."

Of course, Basil was a practical person. He didn't want to entertain any thought of anything that didn't benefit him in the current situation. He had something better to do than that—finish Recarving his Circle.

"Caesar?"

As Caesar remained silent, Basil quirked his eyebrow. Caesar seemed to ponder about something, and he didn't know what Caesar was exactly thinking.

According to some traces of emotion Caesar was unconsciously exuding through his Mana however, Basil was sure he was pondering about a hard decision.

Basil normally didn't want to waste time. However, a rare occasion happened: Basil waited for Caesar. It was quite surprising Basil could wait for someone he had only known for a short time.

Although Basil seemed nonchalant about it, he appreciated Caesar for helping him a lot for the past month. He could establish a firm foundation upon reaching Green Core had been all due to Caesar.

Therefore, giving Caesar some time to think to himself when he was deciding something big was the least thing Basil could do as a show of respect.

Some minutes passed in silence, until Caesar finally opened his mouth.

"Young Master, I have a proposition." He kneeled down, and bowed his head.

Basil frowned lightly. "What do you want to propose, Caesar?"

"Use me, Young Master," Caesar said firmly.

"..."

It took Caesar a few seconds to realize how misleading he had worded his sentence. Raising his head abruptly, he looked at Basil in mortification. Quickly waving his hand in denial, he explained himself.

"I—I didn't mean it in that way. Silly me, I should've worded it better! Ha-ha. Ha-ha." He chuckled awkwardly.

"In what way do you mean exactly, Caesar?" Basil asked calmly.

"Oh—Oh, that is ..." He closed his mouth as he didn't want to make himself look any sillier; he was the older one, after all! In the end, he decided to play it cool. "Young Master, I have a proposition."

"You may elaborate your proposition, Caesar." Fortunately for him, Basil also played along.

This time, Caesar looked at Basil's face in determination. "Let us conduct [Inheritance]. It might be hard in the long run, but it will help you greatly in the early stage, Young Master."

[Inheritance], as its name suggests, is a procession to inherit something of the highest value belonging to a Mage—their heart, Magic Circles.

Basil had done this in the past with Iliana, before she closed her eyes for eternity. She had insisted on her proposition since she wanted to live within him forever, and help him in his endeavor.

Moreover, for the prideful Iliana, that was the most ideal death for her. Even in her death, she wanted to be useful; she didn't want to die uselessly.

Caesar's proposition was honestly mouthwatering. However, Basil knew more than anyone of the requirements of [Inheritance].

Firstly, one needs to check the compatibility between the heart owner and oneself first, before becoming an Inheritor. If one is not compatible enough with the heart owner, one can never be the Inheritor.

Some unwanted complications would definitely occur, if one were to force the procession; more often than not, it kills the Inheritor. Basil had been lucky he and Iliana were exceptionally compatible with each other.

Secondly, getting control over the heart—the Magic Circles— will be hard, since it doesn't belong to the Inheritor in the very first place. Therefore, most of the one's time would be spent in getting control over the heart one has inherited.

This was not beneficial for Basil, as he had to do many more important things than mastering someone's heart.

Thirdly, Basil had a Mana Heart. He had Cultivated his Mana Heart for more than a year; he had achieved the second stage of its Cultivation: Amethyst Heart. Sacrificing it for an ordinary heart would be stupid of him.

Even if Caesar's had more Magic Circles than his, Basil would eventually reach that Stage in the future; it was just a matter of time.

Having power one can not yet control was not in Basil's principle; he didn't see the point of it. Therefore, his answer was clear.

"Let us do something else."

Caesar blinked his eyes. "Something else?" He didn't know whether that meant Basil refused his proposal. "Can you please elaborate, Young Master?" Of course, he was all ears.

"You have shown me your resolve to give your heart to me, Caesar." Although it wasn't a question, Caesar still answered, "Yes."

"That means you are ready to forfeit your life for me." Once again, Caesar nodded firmly. "As a servant of Pacifer Clan, you must know what my task is," continued Basil.

Caesar kept quiet for awhile, before opening his mouth. "... A Fragment Bearer."

Basil nodded his head lightly. "I have just become an official Fragment Bearer not long ago. On the day I became one, I met my predecessor, the previous Fragment Bearer."

"Our Lord?! What an opportunity!" Caesar's eyes lit up brightly.

"It was nothing fancy as he was nothing more than an incomplete Soul Imprint." Basil quirked his eyebrow. "Furthermore, Matheus was the First Patriarch of Pacifer Clan. Although he was technically your Lord, I believe he wasn't the one you are thinking about."

Caesar blinked his eyes in confusion. "Huh? Matheus ... The First Patriarch of Pacifer Clan? The previous Fragment Bearer ... Matheus? That is ..." He mumbled lowly under his breath.

Looking at Basil once again, he chuckled awkwardly. "Ha-ha-ha. It seems you were given the privilege to know the nickname of your Patriarch, Young Master; it took me awhile to recollect it."

Something didn't add up, and it was apparent. However, as always Basil didn't question it. He knew how time could screw him at times like this. Therefore, he directly addressed the matter.

"Before my meeting with Matheus ended, he gave me something—an alternative to your proposition."

Basil didn't understand what Matheus had meant, until today. He didn't know whether it was all premeditated or due to the Guide helping Matheus to predict this event, but he was slightly glad it actually helped him.

Still, it didn't mean he would just let the matter go; he would definitely unveil the truth.

"Matheus taught me the way to conduct [Hand-over]."

Different than [Inheritance], [Hand-over] allows one to give one's Magic Circle to another person. It is considerably safer than [Inheritance], but the result is not so satisfying.

The reason is, rather than completely inheriting it, one is actually combining one's Magic Circle with the receiver's. It means, the receiver will not get one's Magic Circle fully, but only some parts of it.

For the receiver, it is far safer and stabler than [Inheritance]; the receiver can get used to their newly attained Magic Circle fairly quickly.

On the other hand however, it still requirs the Magic Circle owner to forfeit their life.

Caesar's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh! I have heard about that. It was rarely practiced in the past, so I forgot about it. However ... You know the disadvantage, do you, Young Master?"

"The pain it gives me?" Basil lightly quirked his eyebrow. "Rather than that, what about you? Will you be able to bear the shared pain?"

Caesar smirked. "That is the most unnecessary question I have been asked!"

With this, [Hand-over] was conducted.. Even though he knew his life would be forfeited, Caesar was still enthusiastic.