Chapter 42 Preparations (2)



In the middle of the night, when the world was draped in darkness and the distant hoots of owls filled the air with an eerie symphony, I wearily returned from my intense workout session and collapsed onto my bed. The exhaustion in my body was palpable, but it was the relentless flood of random thoughts that plagued my mind, making it nearly impossible for me to find sleep.

Since the day I regressed, sleep had eluded me, maybe the only day I slept peacefully was the day I regressed, there were no days of peaceful sleep except it.

As I collapsed onto my bed, a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts swirled in my mind, hindering any hopes of drifting into the realm of dreams. Images of a rampaging fire dragon consumed my thoughts, igniting a flurry of questions.

How could I stop the rampaging of the fire dragon? What actions should I take? Should I seek assistance from others? And if so, who could I trust? The weight of these thoughts burdened my consciousness.

Amidst the turbulence of my mind, I had managed to sketch out a rough plan. However, I couldn't ignore the fact that there were no guarantees it would work, leaving me with no choice but to consider multiple backup plans.

As if the racing thoughts weren't enough, nightmares haunted my restless nights, further adding to the overall despair of my situation. It felt like I was trapped in a never-ending cycle of frustration.

Yet, despite all this, there was an enigmatic smile that danced upon my lips.

It was due the message that was displayed in front of me.

[You have advanced to a 2-star knight]

[Strength +2]

[Stamina +2]

[Agility +2]

[Perception +2]

[Vitality +2]

A surge of excitement coursed through me as the realization sank in—I had ascended to the ranks of a 2-star knight. The boost in my attributes breathed new life into my weary frame.

The artifact continued to reveal more information, painting a vivid picture of my progression in the form of status.

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Name : Eren Pendragon

Titles : <Regressor> <Apostle of the Forgotten God>

Realm : 2-star knight (Nadir)

⫷Stats⫸

<Variable Stats>

Nadir.

Transitional, and

Peak.

In the early stages an individual will experience a faster growth but as they advance further, it will get harder and harder to advance further, be it in the field of magic or in the path of knights.

But as of now, my stats were on the rise. combined with the stats that resulted from training and increasing my star level, all my stats except magic power has crossed the mark of 6.

But I was very disappointed with my growth, especially the growth of magic power which close to stagnant. Although magic power was less significant to close combat fighters, when one advance further in the field, it would become more and more important.

I was still far from catching unto those geniuses. And as a matter of fact, I couldn't dream about catching unto them with means such as these.

I needed to find some faster alternatives.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind, captivating my attention.

The Exile.

A mystical realm birthed from the concentrated mana, the Exile was a portal that transported individuals to a forsaken corner once part of Hell, the demon's paradise.

Clearing an Exile meant being rewarded with increased power, even if it meant facing low-ranking demons within low-level Exiles. Such an opportunity could prove immensely beneficial to someone like me, yearning to bolster my current abilities.

However, there was a problem.

"How the heck do I find an Exile in this godforsaken island?"

The rarity of Exiles at this point in time made the task even more daunting. Not to mention, gaining access to an Exile was a complicated process, tightly controlled by the empire. Recognition from the Seven Towers or affiliation with major powers acknowledged by the emperor, like graduates of Freljord Academy or members of recognized guilds, was necessary to gain entry.

"Wait a minute! "

A sudden realization struck me like a lightning bolt. There was one Exile that had appeared in the Black Forest behind the academy.

"If I remember it correctly.... "

It was that self-centered brat, Zephyr, who had discovered and cleared the Exile before the academy could even take notice.

Although it was later discovered by the academy and an investigation was held, it had been fruitless, as Zephyr had already reaped the rewards of his triumph.

Indeed, venturing into the Exile seemed like the most honest and direct path to increasing my power. Yet, there was a significant hurdle to overcome—I had no idea when the Exile would appear.

All I knew was that Zephyr had cleared it before the first ranking battles.

"Darn it!" I exclaimed, frustration boiling over. Time was of the essence, and Zephyr might have already discovered the Exile by now.

I ran out of my dorm to find Zephyr, no matter what, I was determined to enter the exile!

Little did I know that my impromptu quest to find Zephyr and following him to find the exile, would inadvertently earn me the dubious title of "male stalker."

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