Chapter 364: Elliot

In Romund's study, all four thousand five hundred points of essence energy were bestowed upon Elrond.

The grand physician of the Northwood Territory seemed to shatter an invisible shackle, his body erupting into a dazzling radiance that commanded an involuntary sense of reverence.

The moment a magister broke through the void wheel, their mental power leaped exponentially, and their very aura underwent an involuntary sublimation.

When common folk beheld a magister, they would feel the sheer weight of that powerful mental aura, driving them to fear or to worship.

Romund glanced at the man’s simplified attribute panel:

[Elrond Faol]: Magister (0/9000)

To rise from an eighth-rank magister to a ninth-rank grand magister required nine thousand essence energy points just to fill the progress bar, followed by an unknown amount to elevate his aptitude rank.

It was not difficult to deduce that to make Elrond a grand magister, Romund would need to invest over fifteen thousand points of essence energy.

Such an amount was truly monumental.

He did not disturb Elrond’s state of enlightenment, choosing instead to sit quietly by his side and wait.

After a long while, Elrond opened his eyes, and a flash of brilliant light flickered across the room before vanishing.

"How do you feel?" Romund could not help but ask.

"Incredible!"

A deep smile touched Elrond’s eyes and brows; his power now surpassed what he had possessed in his previous life.

As he spoke, a history book resting on Romund’s desk slowly floated into the air, lifted by the surging mental power that now allowed the mage to manipulate objects from afar.

This was merely one of a magister's capabilities; beyond this, he could manipulate the very flow of spell runes, casting volatile, changing magic.

A standard spherical fireball, for instance, could now be shaped into the likeness of a rabbit or a tiger.

In the hands of a magister, magic donned many more guises.

Quelling his eagerness to experiment, Elrond looked at Romund with gravity and said, "My Lord, upon becoming a magister, I have mastered the spell 'Holy Purge.' It possesses an immense purifying capability, able not only to dispel dark forces but also to cleanse malevolent power."

Romund's heart thudded in his chest. "Then my grandfather's injury...?"

"It can be cleansed!" Elrond's tone was absolute.

The weight that had hung over Romund’s heart finally lifted, replaced by a wave of pure joy.

He could finally deliver Rulance from his agony, fulfilling the debt of care the man had always shown him, and putting a long-standing anxiety to rest.

Then Elrond spoke again, "If my suspicions are correct, the energy of the 'Soul-Devouring Surge' within Lord Rulance should be called 'Witch-Soul Power'."

"Witch-Soul Power?"

Romund’s mind raced, instantly recalling that mysterious canyon in the northern reaches of the Northwood Territory.

Back then, Natalia had used that very same Witch-Soul Power to activate a magic array in an attempt to refine Carlos.

How could Rulance's injury be connected to such a force?

"What manner of power is this, exactly?"

Romund puzzled aloud, "When we faced Natalia back then, it did not seem particularly formidable."

"It is akin to the elemental powers of wind, fire, water, and earth—a form of energy present between heaven and earth, though it seems exceedingly difficult for humans to master."

Elrond explained, "The one who harmed the Marquis must have used a magical attack, whereas Natalia was a knight and naturally incapable of that. Furthermore, she was only of the sixth rank."

Romund nodded. "You seem to know a great deal about Witch-Soul Power. Have you awakened more of your memories?"

"Yes, My Lord. I can now fully recall the memories of my previous life."

A look of reminiscence flickered in Elrond’s eyes; recalling his past life made it difficult to separate reality from a dream.

"In my memories, I marched alongside the Blazing Expeditionary Force—the ten-thousand-strong army led by Rhaegar—traveling a vast distance to slay a creature that threatened all mankind. Sadly, I never even laid eyes upon the beast before I perished in the Blazing Canyon alongside Rhaegar, Maken, and the others."

Hearing this, Romund felt a surge of awe.

An army of ten thousand men; Rhaegar was truly worthy of being the commander of the Blazing Expeditionary Force to lead a host of such magnitude.

Most critical of all, however, was the strength of their foe.

"What kind of enemy could completely annihilate an army like yours?"

"You have heard the name of the enemy commander, My Lord. Her name was Elliot."

Romund froze.

Natalia, who had also emerged from that mysterious valley, had once claimed that her master was Elliot.

He had not expected that, after so many twists and turns, this person would appear in Elrond's memories.

Clearly, they belonged to the same era.

"The host Elliot led was the very 'Witch-Soul Race' we encountered in that northern valley. It is incredibly difficult to kill them with ordinary weapons; one can only dismantle their Witch-Soul bodies by infusing extraordinary power into them, thereby defeating them."

Elrond continued to share his thoughts with Romund as he reminisced.

"Though Rhaegar's greatsword eventually pierced Elliot's heart and successfully slew her, he, like the rest of us, had been too deeply corroded by the Witch-Soul Power and perished in the Blazing Canyon."

At this point, he sighed softly. Why should a man who had already died once be granted a second life?

Romund could not fathom the reason either; he could only wait until his own power grew greater to see if there was a way to uncover the truth.

"I think you should write your memories down."

Romund suggested, "I believe it would be the most detailed and reliable historical account of the ancient world in existence!"

In the library of the Alduin royal family, he had found no history predating the Orlanth Empire.

Now, the Elrond standing before him was a living history book.

Though the man’s memory fragments were still incomplete, retaining only the events of the final battle, Romund believed that another breakthrough would yield more historical insight.

Furthermore, the same would likely hold true for Rhaegar and Maken.

When the time came to piece together the memories of all three, they might very well reconstruct the early history of this world.

"I will do so," Elrond replied.

"By the way, My Lord, besides magic and memories, I have also awakened the knowledge of a new magical potion. I suspect you will find it most intriguing."

"Oh?"

Curiosity flickered in Romund’s expression. "What kind of potion?"

"The Awakening Potion."

Elrond said mysteriously, "It grants ordinary people a certain probability of awakening a battle qi seed, allowing them to become professional knights."

Romund's pupils contracted, clearly stunned by the efficacy of such a potion.

He could not help but marvel, "You truly are a mage of the ancient era; your knowledge is boundless."

During his last breakthrough, Elrond had gained the ability to craft auxiliary advancement potions, and now he could brew awakening potions. Was he setting up a full production line for cultivation?

Having spoken those words, Romund paused.

If the methods to craft these potions existed in Elrond's time, why had they been lost to history by now?

He sensed that a distinct historical fault line existed between Elrond’s era and that of the Orlanth Empire.

Yet, remembering the difficulty of crafting the auxiliary advancement potions, the joy on Romund's face faded considerably.

Is the awakening potion also difficult to obtain the materials for?”

Elron nodded. “The materials required for the awakening potion are not only more numerous than those needed for the auxiliary enhancement potion, but their rarity is no less than theirs. It’s unlikely you could produce it in a short time.”

“I’ll record all the required materials—I’ll find them for you later!”

Rolan’s birthday was quickly approaching, and Ronin could ask Miloslav about this in person.

If both potions could be crafted, the impact would be immense.

“Elron, go prepare—you’ll be coming with me to Ushan Castle in two days.” (End of chapter)