…
Several minutes went by as Izroth and Astratis continued on their way downstream.
Astratis had not spoken much ever since he brought up the four pillars; therefore, Izroth decided to give him some time to readjust.
The moment Izroth noticed Astratis regained himself, he broke the silence and said, “You said it was dangerous in the Ancient Wilderness. But, as far as I can tell, it is quite peaceful.”
Whether it was his journey alone through the Ancient Wilderness or with Astratis, Izroth had not run into any sort of danger. There were no monsters, hazardous terrain, or bandits lying in wait to make an ambush.
If anything, the Ancient Wilderness seemed like the ideal place to take a relaxing stroll through nature. It did not make any sense to label such a place as dangerous.
“Peaceful? Yes, I suppose it must appear that way to someone without Ethos.” Astratis commented.
He then explained, “The Ancient Wilderness is home to the Blighted—cursed beings who cannot be harmed by the power of mortals. Only those who have established a stable foundation in the utilization of Ethos can face them.”
“You mentioned the Ethos and Blighted before, but exactly what are they?” Izroth inquired.
Astratis released a slight grunt and responded, “To not even remember the basic foundations of the world… You are like a newborn child who has yet to experience what the world has to offer.”
“Ethos is the power bestowed to those of us birthed by the Protogenos.” As Astratis spoke, he held out the palm of his hand, and on its surface, a milky light blue energy formed. The energy was faint and resembled that of a lantern’s flame; however, there was a profound and mystifying feeling to it.
Izroth tried to use his Energy Vision Sense to examine the energy, but there were no changes.
‘This is the first time I’ve run into an energy source that cannot be perceived by my Energy Vision Sense. It appears to work on an entirely different set of principles from mana. Comparing the two would be like trying to compare water to sand.’
Astratis closed his hand as the Ethos disappeared.
“Foul and wicked beasts of evil who knows nothing more than destruction—that is the Blighted. Those of us capable of utilizing Ethos use it to combat the Blighted and protect mortals from their senseless destruction. At least, that’s how things should be…” Astratis muttered the last part under his breath as he sighed.
Senseless destruction? To Izroth, that sounded exactly like monsters in the Mortal Realm whose only goal, more often than not, was to slay anyone who went near them.
As for Ethos, Astratis’ explanation did not reveal much, which caused Izroth to be somewhat disappointed.
‘Ethos… It’s possible that it holds some similarities to Dragon Force for the residents of this Secret Realm. Just like how asking a true dragon how to use Dragon Force is the same as someone asking you how to breathe—perhaps it’s all a natural instinct.’
“Let’s pick up the pace. We should reach the village in-“
GRWAAAAAAAAAH!
Out of nowhere, a soul-shaking cry echoed throughout the Ancient Wilderness that cut off Astratis’ words.
The force from this cry was so powerful that Izroth and Astratis were struck by the sonic shockwave it generated.
“?!” Astratis’ looked startled by the cry. However, his expression quickly shifted to one of bewilderment.
What was strange and did escape Izroth’s gaze was the glimmer of expectancy that flashed through Astratis’ eyes as if he were grateful to its sudden emergence.
“This is the battle cry of the Ateleigos..! I have never heard its cry filled with such heavy rage.” Astratis stated with furrowed brows.
He then glanced over at Izroth and commented, “You are quite courageous. Most mortals would have retreated one hundred steps when faced with the Ateleigos’ cry, yet you remain unmoved. Even though you are a mortal, you possess the heart of a warrior.”
Retreat one hundred steps? Izroth inwardly shook his head. If he retreated one hundred steps just from the mere sound of a creature’s cry, what face would he have left in this world or any world for that matter?
That aside, what caught Izroth’s attention besides the cry was the direction it came from.
‘That direction… It’s at the same location as the Ambrosia Tree.’
Izroth was unsure if it was just a coincidence or not. But, for some reason, he could not shake this foreboding feeling.
Astratis placed a finger on his chin as if pondering something. He remained silent for a few seconds before a look of clarity formed in his eyes.
“Izroth, I am afraid this is where we part ways,” Astratis said with a serious expression.
“If you keep following this stream to the end, you will reach the outskirts of the Ancient Wilderness. Once you do, continue to head north. There, you will find the village at the foot of the mountains. Tell them the Son of Thunder sent you.” Astratis explained.
“Oh? It just so happens that I want to see this Ateleigos with my own eyes. I am curious as to what kind of creature’s cry can reach us from this far away.”
“You can’t. It’s too dangerous. If I was at my full strength, it would not be a problem to ensure your safety. However, with my current power, it will be too difficult to protect you while confronting the Ateleigos. This curiosity of yours—you should do away with it this time.” Astratis advised.
GRWAAAAAAAAAH!
The cry of the Ateleigos sounded once more. This time, it seemed to be much closer, as if it were moving towards Izroth and Astratis.
“You do not have to concern yourself with my safety. Since I am willing to put myself in danger’s path, naturally, I am also willing to bear any consequences that follow.” Izroth noted.
Astratis was shocked by Izroth’s response. Not retreating from the Ateleigos’ cry was already a great feat in and of itself for a mortal. But, even after experiencing that oppressive force, he was still willing to confront it?
“Does he lack fear because of the issues with his memory? Either way, I am no longer sure if he is courageous or just reckless. Regardless, he has made his choice. If I try to control his every action against his will, I will be no better than those monsters.” Astratis internalized.
Astratis released a deep sigh as he shook his head and said, “Fine. Just make sure you keep your distance. As I said before, I won’t be able to keep an eye on you. So, if you run into any trouble, do not be afraid of fleeing to keep your life. It is good to have courage, but one must also possess the strength to wield that courage. Otherwise, one’s bravery can turn out to be nothing more than stupidity.”
“Rest assured, I am aware of my limits,” Izroth replied with a carefree expression.
This was Izroth’s chance to see the use of Ethos in action. Perhaps once he saw it in battle, he would have a better chance at deciphering its mysteries. But, more importantly, this was the first hostile threat Izroth would encounter in the Secret Realm. He was curious about its powers and level.
Astratis gave a small nod of approval and said, “I will support you with my Ethos, so try to follow me as best as you can.”
The moment Astratis finished speaking, he held his hand up as a milky light blue aura formed and flew out at Izroth.
Izroth did not feel any ill intent from the aura and so he did not resist as it sunk into his body.
When the aura entered his body, Izroth felt a refreshing wave wash over him as his body became incredibly light like a feather.
‘This is Ethos? Now I can confirm with absolute certainty—it truly is nothing like mana or essence.’
As this thought crossed Izroth’s mind, he was greeted by a wave of system alerts.
〈System Alert: You have been affected by an unknown energy source!〉
〈System Alert: You have discovered a new energy source!〉
〈System Alert: You are the first player to discover the energy source Ethos! You will be rewarded for your efforts.〉
〈System Alert: Your world fame has increased by 300.〉
〈System Alert: For being the first player to discover the energy source Ethos, you have unlocked a new energy source.〉
