Chapter 1336: Crashing Down
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n--O((V)-e(-L/(b-(1)/n
Chapter 1336 Crashing Down
Elias Martins Duffy was a man who loved Magic since he was a little boy.
He was so enamored by the concept of bending the laws of the world and achieving supernatural effects through the wondrous energy of Mana.
He patiently waited for the day he would turn five years old so he could finally Awaken and become a proper Mage.
Unfortunately... he could not.
It was only until he became nine years old that he could finally do so, and even then it was barely.
Apparently, he had a very poor aptitude for Magic.
The Mana Fragments in his body were in very small quantities, and the rate of production was also incredibly slow.
He was never going to become the kind of Mage he desired; forever doomed to not being enough.
Did he give up, though?
No!
The major source of motivation for him was Lewis Griffith, the man who revolutionized Magic despite being inept.
Unlike Lewis Griffith, who had been born Inept, he still had some measure of Mana.
As such, he was determined to learn as much as he could about Magic and contribute to the community as much as he could.
Elias Martins Duffy tried to enroll in the great Ainzlark Magic Academy, but after failing the exams countless times, he settled for being the apprentice for a local Mage he found around.
The Mage taught him everything he knew, but it still wasn't enough.
Not only was he incredibly average, but he wasn't very powerful either.
This Mage was never going to help him achieve his dream of contributing to the world of Magic.
Elias knew he needed more!
As a result of his impatience, he went behind his master's back and studied the materials that were kept off-limits to him.
That was when he found out the secrets of the Blood Stone.
According to the books, this was forbidden Magic—never to be used due to its immense danger, incredible potential, and moral hazard.
The threat such Magic could pose on the world was astronomically high if allowed to become mainstream.
Elias did not know how his master had such materials with him, but he chose to use them for himself.
He initially felt guilty about it, but soon after he numbed himself and ignored his inner conscience.
It was only after completing the preparations necessary for the Blood Stone creation, and sacrificing his Master in his sleep, that Elias made a rather shocking discovery.
His Master—the Mage whom he had learned under for so many years—had also been planning on using him to make a Blood Stone.
The Mage had been suffering from an obsessive sense of inadequacy and desire to push his Magic to the next level.
Apparently, some group gave him the resources needed to research the Blood Stone and make one.
Elias was only able to find this out by chance, and not only did he feel betrayed by the actions of his master, but he also felt justified in his actions.
He had been right all along!
After this experience, he fled to the Slums of a rather corrupt Lord.
By paying a fair sum of money that he obtained from his Master, he was able to secure some land at the edge of the territory and start his new life there.
Of course, moving in wasn't easy.
Living among the lowlives of society had its downsides, but Elias quickly found a way to turn it into something of benefit.
'No one cares about some countryside slums!' He had thought. 'I should be able to use them to complete the Blood Stone!'
And so, he began to rid the world of the scum and lowlives that occupied it.
One after the other—dozens after dozens—for several decades.
The long wait was unavoidable since the ones gifted with Mana lives better lives in the better parts of the Lord's territory.
It was unfortunate that the commoners in the slums lacked the quality needed to quickly form a Blood Stone, so the process took very long to complete.
Since Elias did not want to draw any attention to himself, he patiently amassed the lives and Mana he had taken—waiting for the time when his Blood Stone would be perfected.
And finally... after waiting for so long... that time was finally here!
However...
The more Mr. Duffy spoke, the more his eyes widened at the realization of the sheer horrors he had wrought.
The true nature of his actions slowly began to reveal itself to his old and rotting mind.
He was never correct.
All this time... he had lost sight of what he truly wanted as Elias Martins Duffy.
That boy had grown to become this bitter old excuse for a mass murderer.
But the question remained... if he could go back in time... would he do it again?
Mr. Duffy already knew the answer to that.
"I... I just wanted to use Magic. It's not... it's not my fault that I wasn't born with enough talent!"
That's right! If he could, he would do the same thing again.
"I-I was just ridding the world of the hoodlums that no one cared about! Sure, they died, but their sacrifice was supposed to birth something glorious! I could have used this power to help the world! To cure people, to save lives, to heal... I could have..."
As Neron heard all of these being spouted by the man before him, he narrowed his eyes and creased his brows.
Disgust filled his eyes, and a burning distaste for the man soon extended to the thing he worshiped.
MAGIC!
"You shouldn't exist..."
It was impossible to know if he was talking about the man before him, or the very concept of Magic.
One thing was for sure, though.
"Die."
As Neron raised his hand and stared down at the babbling man, he desired to end his life.
Blue sparks of Mana gathered around Neron's hand, and its bright embers lit up the grim night.
~SWISH!~
In one swift motion, Neron beheaded the man, remembering how the heads of his friends were also deprived of their bodies.
"Haaa..." As Neron watched the head of the man roll, he felt hollow within.
How did things turn out this way? What was he supposed to do now?
As these questions swirled in his mind, he heard footsteps approaching.
"Stay back." He muttered, his voice audible enough for the one behind him to hear.
While Neron did not know who it was, he could decipher he was an adult man.
He was also incredibly strong.
"Hey, kid... calm down." As the man's deep voice reverberated in the air, Neron felt a tightening in his chest.
After that, his consciousness got blurry.
'W-what...?!'
"My name is Mordred Kaelid. I'm a Grand Mage of the Kingdom."
Neron could hardly register those words as he fell to his knees.
All his senses were fading—and fast. Within a few more seconds, he was going to faint.
"Do not fret. I won't harm you."
As he heard these words, Neron's eyes fel shut and he collapsed.
Not on the cold, hard ground, but on the soft cost of the man who held him tightly.
"I won't let anyone harm you."
*
*
*
[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
The chapter was cathartic, wasn't it? This seven-chapter stretch is pretty much the prologue of Neron's story.
The real deal happens after this.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
n--O((V)-e(-L/(b-(1)/n
Chapter 1336 Crashing Down
Elias Martins Duffy was a man who loved Magic since he was a little boy.
He was so enamored by the concept of bending the laws of the world and achieving supernatural effects through the wondrous energy of Mana.
He patiently waited for the day he would turn five years old so he could finally Awaken and become a proper Mage.
Unfortunately... he could not.
It was only until he became nine years old that he could finally do so, and even then it was barely.
Apparently, he had a very poor aptitude for Magic.
The Mana Fragments in his body were in very small quantities, and the rate of production was also incredibly slow.
He was never going to become the kind of Mage he desired; forever doomed to not being enough.
Did he give up, though?
No!
The major source of motivation for him was Lewis Griffith, the man who revolutionized Magic despite being inept.
Unlike Lewis Griffith, who had been born Inept, he still had some measure of Mana.
As such, he was determined to learn as much as he could about Magic and contribute to the community as much as he could.
Elias Martins Duffy tried to enroll in the great Ainzlark Magic Academy, but after failing the exams countless times, he settled for being the apprentice for a local Mage he found around.
The Mage taught him everything he knew, but it still wasn't enough.
Not only was he incredibly average, but he wasn't very powerful either.
This Mage was never going to help him achieve his dream of contributing to the world of Magic.
Elias knew he needed more!
As a result of his impatience, he went behind his master's back and studied the materials that were kept off-limits to him.
That was when he found out the secrets of the Blood Stone.
According to the books, this was forbidden Magic—never to be used due to its immense danger, incredible potential, and moral hazard.
The threat such Magic could pose on the world was astronomically high if allowed to become mainstream.
Elias did not know how his master had such materials with him, but he chose to use them for himself.
He initially felt guilty about it, but soon after he numbed himself and ignored his inner conscience.
It was only after completing the preparations necessary for the Blood Stone creation, and sacrificing his Master in his sleep, that Elias made a rather shocking discovery.
His Master—the Mage whom he had learned under for so many years—had also been planning on using him to make a Blood Stone.
The Mage had been suffering from an obsessive sense of inadequacy and desire to push his Magic to the next level.
Apparently, some group gave him the resources needed to research the Blood Stone and make one.
Elias was only able to find this out by chance, and not only did he feel betrayed by the actions of his master, but he also felt justified in his actions.
He had been right all along!
After this experience, he fled to the Slums of a rather corrupt Lord.
By paying a fair sum of money that he obtained from his Master, he was able to secure some land at the edge of the territory and start his new life there.
Of course, moving in wasn't easy.
Living among the lowlives of society had its downsides, but Elias quickly found a way to turn it into something of benefit.
'No one cares about some countryside slums!' He had thought. 'I should be able to use them to complete the Blood Stone!'
And so, he began to rid the world of the scum and lowlives that occupied it.
One after the other—dozens after dozens—for several decades.
The long wait was unavoidable since the ones gifted with Mana lives better lives in the better parts of the Lord's territory.
It was unfortunate that the commoners in the slums lacked the quality needed to quickly form a Blood Stone, so the process took very long to complete.
Since Elias did not want to draw any attention to himself, he patiently amassed the lives and Mana he had taken—waiting for the time when his Blood Stone would be perfected.
And finally... after waiting for so long... that time was finally here!
However...
The more Mr. Duffy spoke, the more his eyes widened at the realization of the sheer horrors he had wrought.
The true nature of his actions slowly began to reveal itself to his old and rotting mind.
He was never correct.
All this time... he had lost sight of what he truly wanted as Elias Martins Duffy.
That boy had grown to become this bitter old excuse for a mass murderer.
But the question remained... if he could go back in time... would he do it again?
Mr. Duffy already knew the answer to that.
"I... I just wanted to use Magic. It's not... it's not my fault that I wasn't born with enough talent!"
That's right! If he could, he would do the same thing again.
"I-I was just ridding the world of the hoodlums that no one cared about! Sure, they died, but their sacrifice was supposed to birth something glorious! I could have used this power to help the world! To cure people, to save lives, to heal... I could have..."
As Neron heard all of these being spouted by the man before him, he narrowed his eyes and creased his brows.
Disgust filled his eyes, and a burning distaste for the man soon extended to the thing he worshiped.
MAGIC!
"You shouldn't exist..."
It was impossible to know if he was talking about the man before him, or the very concept of Magic.
One thing was for sure, though.
"Die."
As Neron raised his hand and stared down at the babbling man, he desired to end his life.
Blue sparks of Mana gathered around Neron's hand, and its bright embers lit up the grim night.
~SWISH!~
In one swift motion, Neron beheaded the man, remembering how the heads of his friends were also deprived of their bodies.
"Haaa..." As Neron watched the head of the man roll, he felt hollow within.
How did things turn out this way? What was he supposed to do now?
As these questions swirled in his mind, he heard footsteps approaching.
"Stay back." He muttered, his voice audible enough for the one behind him to hear.
While Neron did not know who it was, he could decipher he was an adult man.
He was also incredibly strong.
"Hey, kid... calm down." As the man's deep voice reverberated in the air, Neron felt a tightening in his chest.
After that, his consciousness got blurry.
'W-what...?!'
"My name is Mordred Kaelid. I'm a Grand Mage of the Kingdom."
Neron could hardly register those words as he fell to his knees.
All his senses were fading—and fast. Within a few more seconds, he was going to faint.
"Do not fret. I won't harm you."
As he heard these words, Neron's eyes fel shut and he collapsed.
Not on the cold, hard ground, but on the soft cost of the man who held him tightly.
"I won't let anyone harm you."
*
*
*
[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
The chapter was cathartic, wasn't it? This seven-chapter stretch is pretty much the prologue of Neron's story.
The real deal happens after this.
n--OV-e-L/b-1/nChapter 1336 Crashing Down Elias Martins Duffy was a man who loved Magic since he was a little boy. He was so enamored by the concept of bending the laws of the world and achieving supernatural effects through the wondrous energy of Mana. He patiently waited for the day he would turn five years old so he could finally Awaken and become a proper Mage. Unfortunately... he could not. It was only until he became nine years old that he could finally do so, and even then it was barely. Apparently, he had a very poor aptitude for Magic. The Mana Fragments in his body were in very small quantities, and the rate of production was also incredibly slow. He was never going to become the kind of Mage he desired; forever doomed to not being enough. Did he give up, though? No! The major source of motivation for him was Lewis Griffith, the man who revolutionized Magic despite being inept. Unlike Lewis Griffith, who had been born Inept, he still had some measure of Mana. As such, he was determined to learn as much as he could about Magic and contribute to the community as much as he could. Elias Martins Duffy tried to enroll in the great Ainzlark Magic Academy, but after failing the exams countless times, he settled for being the apprentice for a local Mage he found around. The Mage taught him everything he knew, but it still wasn't enough. Not only was he incredibly average, but he wasn't very powerful either. This Mage was never going to help him achieve his dream of contributing to the world of Magic. Elias knew he needed more! As a result of his impatience, he went behind his master's back and studied the materials that were kept off-limits to him. That was when he found out the secrets of the Blood Stone. According to the books, this was forbidden Magicnever to be used due to its immense danger, incredible potential, and moral hazard. The threat such Magic could pose on the world was astronomically high if allowed to become mainstream. Elias did not know how his master had such materials with him, but he chose to use them for himself. He initially felt guilty about it, but soon after he numbed himself and ignored his inner conscience. It was only after completing the preparations necessary for the Blood Stone creation, and sacrificing his Master in his sleep, that Elias made a rather shocking discovery. His Masterthe Mage whom he had learned under for so many yearshad also been planning on using him to make a Blood Stone. The Mage had been suffering from an obsessive sense of inadequacy and desire to push his Magic to the next level. Apparently, some group gave him the resources needed to research the Blood Stone and make one. Elias was only able to find this out by chance, and not only did he feel betrayed by the actions of his master, but he also felt justified in his actions. He had been right all along! After this experience, he fled to the Slums of a rather corrupt Lord. By paying a fair sum of money that he obtained from his Master, he was able to secure some land at the edge of the territory and start his new life there. Of course, moving in wasn't easy. Living among the lowlives of society had its downsides, but Elias quickly found a way to turn it into something of benefit. 'No one cares about some countryside slums!' He had thought. 'I should be able to use them to complete the Blood Stone!' And so, he began to rid the world of the scum and lowlives that occupied it. One after the otherdozens after dozensfor several decades. The long wait was unavoidable since the ones gifted with Mana lives better lives in the better parts of the Lord's territory. It was unfortunate that the commoners in the slums lacked the quality needed to quickly form a Blood Stone, so the process took very long to complete. Since Elias did not want to draw any attention to himself, he patiently amassed the lives and Mana he had takenwaiting for the time when his Blood Stone would be perfected. And finally... after waiting for so long... that time was finally here! However... The more Mr. Duffy spoke, the more his eyes widened at the realization of the sheer horrors he had wrought. The true nature of his actions slowly began to reveal itself to his old and rotting mind. He was never correct. All this time... he had lost sight of what he truly wanted as Elias Martins Duffy. That boy had grown to become this bitter old excuse for a mass murderer. But the question remained... if he could go back in time... would he do it again? Mr. Duffy already knew the answer to that. "I... I just wanted to use Magic. It's not... it's not my fault that I wasn't born with enough talent!" That's right! If he could, he would do the same thing again. "I-I was just ridding the world of the hoodlums that no one cared about! Sure, they died, but their sacrifice was supposed to birth something glorious! I could have used this power to help the world! To cure people, to save lives, to heal... I could have..." As Neron heard all of these being spouted by the man before him, he narrowed his eyes and creased his brows. Disgust filled his eyes, and a burning distaste for the man soon extended to the thing he worshiped. MAGIC! "You shouldn't exist..." It was impossible to know if he was talking about the man before him, or the very concept of Magic. One thing was for sure, though. "Die." As Neron raised his hand and stared down at the babbling man, he desired to end his life. Blue sparks of Mana gathered around Neron's hand, and its bright embers lit up the grim night. ~SWISH!~ In one swift motion, Neron beheaded the man, remembering how the heads of his friends were also deprived of their bodies. "Haaa..." As Neron watched the head of the man roll, he felt hollow within. How did things turn out this way? What was he supposed to do now? As these questions swirled in his mind, he heard footsteps approaching. "Stay back." He muttered, his voice audible enough for the one behind him to hear. While Neron did not know who it was, he could decipher he was an adult man. He was also incredibly strong. "Hey, kid... calm down." As the man's deep voice reverberated in the air, Neron felt a tightening in his chest. After that, his consciousness got blurry. 'W-what...?!' "My name is Mordred Kaelid. I'm a Grand Mage of the Kingdom." Neron could hardly register those words as he fell to his knees. All his senses were fadingand fast. Within a few more seconds, he was going to faint. "Do not fret. I won't harm you." As he heard these words, Neron's eyes fel shut and he collapsed. Not on the cold, hard ground, but on the soft cost of the man who held him tightly. "I won't let anyone harm you." * * * A/N Thanks for reading! The chapter was cathartic, wasn't it? This seven-chapter stretch is pretty much the prologue of Neron's story. The real deal happens after this.
