Chapter 76 Fortieth Emergence Anniversary (4)

"I insist that all of you accept this."

Russell thought of it before... that there must be a reason why the 'Fruit of Chaos' can be split to be shared.

He didn't know what exactly, but his guts are telling him that he needed to share it. For some reason, when Freya and Amery finished their Body Reconstruction through the use of Chaos Buff, he didn't receive a reward unlike when he throws a complaint inwardly that the mysterious Egg noticed, thus rewarding him, 'Fruit of Chaos'.

The confused looks on Freya, Amelie, and Amery were very evident as each of them look at the other before one of them asked...

"What's that Oppa?"

The insides of the Fruit of Chaos that can be seen in front of them were like a deep void, but it contained glistening dots that seemed like rotating stars in the Great Universe. It was a very captivating view that was reflected in everyone's eyes.

Although Russell felt before that he was like a medium of making someone strong in the early stages of the story, he didn't think that it was out of place because, in a few months, the opening of the first Close Mystery Tower will open.

Tower of Growth.

...

After reining in his thoughts, getting uncomfortable with the trio's gaze directed at him, he answered casually.

"It's called a Fruit of Chaos... Wait, Freya, can you invite Amery to Star Quest Party?"

He didn't need to bother himself with explaining things. After a few minutes of discussing what a Star Quest was to Amery, as well as the Soul Contract. She agreed to join Freya in the very long-term quest. For some reason, the Soul Contract was bound to her and wasn't nullified, and the Constellations whom Russell didn't know what was up to right now were silent, but after fifteen to sixteen seconds after Amery joined the Star Quest Party, a notification sounded in everyone's ears, prompting everyone of them to look at the message sent by the System.

[Constellation, 'One Who Eats Fire For Breakfast', has cast 'His' gaze in your Star Quest Party.]

The four of them were momentarily at a loss for words, but after a few seconds, Russell reined in his thoughts as he remembered the Cosmic Title of the Constellation.

It's the Constellation that unlocked some functions of his weapon given by the Goddess 'Herself' via the Ancient Treasure Chest when he went into the hidden dungeon, 'Oldest Root of Yggdrasil.'

'Their names are still filled with question marks though.'

"My Goddess should know 'Him'..."

Because of the Nihility trait, he's sure that other Constellations' gazes would be avoided, and would merely be thought of them as players not worthy of interest even for a second.

After he said that, he shared the information about the Fruit of Chaos through Star Quest Party.

"Growth rate..."

It was Amery's soft voice as she muttered.

"Oppa, isn't it like a Treasure Herb that costs a hundred billions of O in the market?"

Russell nodded at his younger sister's words... One's Growth Rate could be increased by consuming Treasure Herbs that can only be found in Peak Dungeon Towers, consisting of 15 floors, that must be cleared within 8 months. Its difficulty of acquisition is extremely low in terms of picking it up out of nowhere, but with a hundred percent certainty when defeating a Boss Monster whose rank ranges from S+ to SS+, but even this day, no Boss Monster from SSS- to SSS+ has appeared yet, thus the thought of greater rewards than Treasure Herbs cannot be ruled out.

"In the Thorn of Rose, Treasure Herbs are about 50 billion..."

"You know that doesn't make it cheaper, right?"

Amelie's lips curled up at Freya's words because they weren't rich and even getting a 50 percent discount wasn't enough unless they chance upon something that could sell with equal value.

"By the way, stop babbling and just eat it, we're late. We gotta watch some fights in the stadium."

The trio each took a slice of the Fruit of Chaos before putting them in their mouth, Russell did the same, picking up the last slice of fruit.

At that moment, each of their bodies turned incorporeal. Their skins which were capable of a sense of touch turned Illusory where the deep, dark blue cosmos resembled their bodies. Their consciousness was intact, they saw each other's form as if trillions of stars were rotating in the deepest of their souls. Their eyes depict dark blue stars, and their hearts depicts the galaxies, spinning wildly.

"It's beautiful..."

Amery muttered, she glance at Russell whose back was facing them.

'It's like being naked spiritually.'

Russell thought, not daring to look at the trio.

After a few minutes of experiencing something they didn't know what to call, as a Star Quest Party, all of them received the same System messages.

[A fourth of the 'Fruit of Chaos' has successfully assimilated in your body.]

[Your 'Growth Rate' increased by one.]

[Your overall stat, excluding the Charm and Luck, increased by 100.]

Then subsequent System messages appeared in front of them. On the one hand, the trio's expression turned into confusion. On the other hand, Russell expected subsequent System messages, though he didn't know what will be its contents.

[The 'Egg???' is feeling elated!]

[The 'Egg???' is opening one of its eyes.]

Suddenly, the 'Egg???' came out of Russell's Dimensional Inventory, and floated midair, shocking the trio.

Although Freya and Amelie knew about it because Russell told them, they never saw it with their own eyes, but now, it's floating in midair with its size comparable to an ostrich egg.

The layer of the egg consists of intricate patterns, but Freya and Amelie recognized one of the Symbols... the 45 degrees slanted X representing 'Night', they saw it in the mask that Russell occasionally wears.

...

The 'Egg???' looked at them, one of its eyes opened, turning their mouths agape. Its eye color is deep blue just like Russell's.

[The 'Egg' is asking its owner to kiss its forehead.]

The trio looked at Russell with confusion with the enigmatic request, but he grabbed the Egg and kissed it just above the opened 'Eye' resembling an Eye of a human girl.

[The 'Egg' felt the affection of its owner.]

[The 'Egg' spreads its blessing to the Star Quest Party Members.]

[The Party Member, 'Russell Moon', Trait of Nihility will be strengthened.]

[The Party Member, 'Freya Moon', will be given three names of evil Death Executioner and their corresponding race.]

[The Party Member, 'Amelie Rose Merveil', will be given the Staff of the Lost Shade (Growth).]

[The Party Member, 'Amery Blight', is being asked to drop out of Obelisk Academy and just train in the Chaos Training Grounds.]

After that, the mysterious Egg looked at Amery before going back to the Dimensional Inventory.

...

The three of them looked at Russell, silently asking what was going on... or specifically, about the request for Amery to drop out of Obelisk Academy.

'What the hell was that?'

He was equally confused that he didn't bother to look at System messages sent only for him.

"To be honest, I'm confused, too."

He said what he was feeling, not thinking of anything to avoid being conclusive. He then glances at Amery, looking at the floor. Somehow, she felt his gaze before she looked at him as she spoke...

"I think it's the right choice..."

Without waiting for Freya or Amelie to react or say anything, she continued, with her soft voice.

"I don't know what's the Chaos Training Grounds the mysterious Egg was talking about... but I think the Egg felt my desire to be strong, it then suggested for me to just leave the academy... but my only concern is the orphanage that helped me to be admitted here... I mean the money they spent for me."

Russell, Freya, and Amelie glance at each other, but Russell couldn't give the answer right now because he realized that he might be f*ck*ng up the money he invested in stocks of the Crescent Weaponry Company if the future slightly changes, but he also felt that it won't fail because those events didn't have anything to do with him in the slightest. They won't be able to track down Amelie's Thorn of Rose account or they'd be dead of unknown causes.

'Even the employees know that.'

After some time of deliberating, he spoke to Amery, his tone contains a bit of assurance.

"Give me two weeks, we might solve that problem."

Amery just nodded slightly.

"By the way, I'll leave first, you gals prepare, we're gonna watch some fighting."

"Oppa, can you stop your tone speaking like a drunkard?"

"How'd you know it was like a drunkard?"

"Well, I'm not the one who sneak up before in a refrigerator to get a Nereian Wine."

Russell turned around, feeling ashamed as part of his past was exposed in front of Amery and Amelie.

With his 33-year-old mentality, when their financial status became stable thanks to his parents acquiring honorable jobs, he wanted to drink some wine, but was caught by his younger sister, then threatened him that she'll tell their parents if he drinks that wine.

'Sigh...'

...

"For our seventh match, Rank 211 of the A-3 class, Ken Raven vs. Rank 40 of the A-1 class of the first year, Dexter Orbelle!"

The announcer standing in the arena placed in the middle of the Obelisk Grand Stadium spoke with an enthusiastic tone, befitting the role of an announcer.

The stage where Ayleen Mayfield stood earlier isn't to be seen because it was replaced by the arena as the two platforms switched positions.

The stage where Ayleen stood in the opening ceremony yesterday, and the arena in the middle, the place of the 'Challenge of Exchange' battle was made of a mineral called M-F-RA, short for Mineral Flexible Rocky Alloy. This mineral imitates a rock and alloy, depending on the intent of the one operating the stage. These minerals were discovered in the early years post-Emergence and were researched by various scientists, especially those who specialized in the Neo-Chemistry field, the subject that's the evolution of Chemistry of the Old World.

'It's like some robots, transforming...'

Russell recalled the movie he saw in his past life as he muttered inwardly.

"Begin!"

After an unknown period of time, the referee, presiding Ken Raven and Dexter Orbelle started their clash.

...

A man with a bulky build, short black hair, and black eyes stood in one of the corners of the arena, facing on the other end was another man with a simple build, but one could tell this man was training his body to some extent, he has short grayish-hair and blackish eyes.

"You've got some screw loose in the head for challenging me."

Dexter Orbelle, — one of Bailey Clarkson's buddies — spoke in an arrogant tone, clearly looking down at the challenger while holding a mallet, emitting sparks of electricity.

'A Barbarian class...'

Ken Raven thought as he recalled the one he fought during the Disciplinary Trial Exam before the Battle Royale, a Berserker class, but the one in front of him is someone like a Berserker, but more composed.

Without answering Dexter, he rushes in, holding a pair of daggers, but this time, it wasn't for training purposes because each participant was required to wield their personal weapons.

Dexter grinned at his rushing opponent before he smashed the ground using the mallet called, 'Sky Smasher', a rare weapon gifted by his family. It has an exquisite design depicting lightning strikes.

Boom-!

Bolts of electricity dance wriggly as if it contains life.

Ken — who was prepared for the attack — vanishes, using the smoke Dexter's attack caused.

[Activating Skill: Smoke Persona]

Suddenly, the smoke that seemed randomly swaying with the wind started shaping into a person.

Ken's body literally became smoke!

...

Russell — who was watching the battle from one of the seats with company — had his lips curled up unconsciously because he remembered the man named Ken Raven in the Disciplinary Trial Exam, it was the dedicated man who acknowledged his weakness against Amery in the Battle Royale.

"Smoke Assassin..."

Russell muttered the Rare Class' name.

But his opponent wasn't an easy one. Dexter senses the presence behind him, although faintly.

[Activating Skill: Rotating Electric Smash]

He gripped tightly his mallet, swinging it in full 360 degrees, forming an electric ring spinning around him for a few seconds, stopping Ken from approaching with the thought of getting electrocuted. Then, without waiting for Ken to recover from staggering, Dexter turned around, diagonally swinging his mallet.

[Activating Skill: Smoke Blink]

Ken's body — who turned human again — turned again into smoke, appearing in front of Dexter who just turned around. He cleaved down one of his daggers, aiming for Dexter's arm, supporting the handle of Sky Smasher.

Thud-!

An arm flew out, blood gushes out, and a weapon hit the ground as it left the hand holding it.

It was Ken Raven's arm.