Chapter 7

"I think it's time we left. If what those soldiers mentioned earlier is true, the burning brigade might be on its way. We need to cross the border and leave before they arrive. Besides, the commotion we caused might bring people here to investigate sooner than expected. I think we need to make some preparations."

Abel was the first to break the silence.

Law gave a slight nod, indicating his agreement with the suggestion.

With that, the two immediately got into action.

First, they concealed the corpses of the two fallen soldiers with other bodies nearby. They then scattered the jewels they found hidden on the corpses all over the place.

All of this was done to confuse anyone coming to investigate and buy them some time.

After all, these precious jewels were too conspicuous, and carrying them was a risk in itself.

Imagine the plight of two ragged children, with no identification and survivors of the White Town catastrophe, trying to exchange jewels for money. What fate would await them?

Therefore, for safety's sake, they decided to discard everything.

Not long after they left, a group of soldiers arrived to investigate the scene.

The soldier who was shot in the head by Law was quickly discovered, but so were the jewels scattered everywhere.

Everyone was taken aback.

Thinking back to the fallen soldier who rarely turned in his spoils and had recently sneaked off, anyone with a shred of intelligence could envision a drama of uneven division of spoils or a double-crossing scenario.

Though other possibilities were considered, no one was willing to bring them up.

On one hand, there was endless trouble, and on the other, silent collective profit.

Which one would you choose?

Thus, all the soldiers tacitly ignored the corpses and quickly scavenged for nearby jewels.

The burning brigade then arrived, setting everything ablaze and cleansing the area.

Everyone was satisfied with the outcome.

By the time black smoke rose into the sky, Abel and Law had crossed the border and were standing in the neighboring country of Sodaransha.

They had finally escaped from that hell.

Both of them gazed at the distant flames, their eyes flickering uncertainly, reflecting their inner unrest.

After a long silence, Abel asked, "Law, what are you thinking?"

"I want to survive and turn this hopeless world upside down."

"That sounds frightening yet interesting."

"So, what do you say, are you in?"

"Count me in first. After all, you still owe me a life, and I need to collect the interest."

Law managed to squeeze out a grim smile at Abel's response. "You better hurry up then, I only have three years left to live."

Abel frowned, reminded of his own five-year lifespan, and couldn't help but ask, "Is Lead-Poisoning disease really incurable?"

Law shook his head, "I don't know, even my father was helpless against this disease, I'm most likely just waiting to die."

"Just waiting to die? Ha, I don't believe it.

Since I was able to survive that 'hell', then my destiny is in my own hands! I not only want to survive, but I also want to live longer and more vividly than anyone else!"

Abel's words profoundly shook Law, who had resigned himself to his fate.

Even though Law fundamentally doubted Abel's ability to do so, he didn't try to undermine his hope.

"Perhaps... there really might be a miracle."

"I assure you, there will be a miracle! Law, don't give up so easily. Since we're the only two who survived, there must be a reason for us to stay alive!"

"Alright, I'll look forward to that day."

Law nodded, as if infected by Abel's intense confidence, a trace of a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

He finally realized that he might not be alone in the future.

A fundamental trust was reestablished between them.

This trust symbolized that Gustaf Abel had taken his first step in this world, a step towards rebirth.

...

Within the town of Sodaransha, Abel was currently hiding at the end of a dark, damp alleyway.

Law had taken it upon himself to gather information and, along the way, get some food.

Even though they had escaped from Freivans, it didn't mean they were entirely safe.

In fact, as one of the 'culprits' who destroyed Freivans, if they were found by the soldiers in Sodaransha, they would be executed on the spot!

So they needed to find a way to leave this island as soon as possible and head to a relatively safer place.

But before that, there was something vital Abel had to do - purchase the "Talent Mutation Ray" to awaken his own talent.

Due to his limited time, Abel didn't choose to act together with Law. Instead, he opted for a secluded place where no one could disturb him.

"Talent Mutation Ray" (Purple)

Description: A blessing for those without talent, the strongest 'pill' for the average person!

Effect: Unleashes the user's potential, transforming it into a unique talent. (Takes effect immediately after purchase, cannot be used by those who already have a talent)

Price: 2000 Trade Points (Crossed out)

Limited-time Discount: 100 Trade Points!

Quantity:

Time limit: 5 hours 12 minutes

PS: Are you content with being ordinary, or do you dare to take a risk?!

...

"No one is willing to settle for being ordinary! System, I choose to purchase!"

Without any hesitation, Abel bought the item. Immediately, his body was enveloped by a beautiful yet extremely dangerous rainbow light.

Under the strange light, Abel's expression became extremely distorted.

He felt an unbearable sensation of pain and itchiness throughout his body, as if his head was about to explode.

After a seemingly endless period of time, the strange light disappeared. By then, Abel's clothes were thoroughly soaked in sweat.

But it seemed all worth it.

"Acquired Blue Talent: Wraith's Heart (Can grow)"

Description: Transformed from Lead-Poisoning disease. Normally, all toxins are stored in the heart. When activated, the toxins spread rapidly throughout the body, transforming the user into a Wraith.

In Wraith form, the user's defense, speed, and strength are increased by 50%. Sensation of pain is reduced by 50%.

Side Effect: Under the accelerated effect of the toxins, lifespan will decrease at a rate of 5 days/minute.

Can Grow: Inject three different lethal toxins into the heart until they are fully absorbed. Times the toxin has been absorbed: 0/3.

...

As Abel watched, the white spots on his arm disappeared entirely. It seemed like all the toxins had indeed retreated into his heart.

Yet, he wasn't exactly thrilled.

He never imagined that his new talent would be a transformation of the Lead-Poisoning disease, the one thing he wanted to get rid of the most!

And it didn't seem particularly impressive.

(AN: A blue talent is almost the lowest level talent, so its power is limited. Consider it a foreshadowing - by chapter 46, it evolves into a purple talent, and it will continue to evolve, becoming stronger and with fewer side effects. Please be patient; if you don't like it, you can always stop reading. There's no need to leave any harsh comments.)