And So Began My Training Arc

Noah stared at Hepius silently.

The one to break the silence was Hepius.

{Is it revenge?}

A smirk appeared on Noah's face. "Aren't you the one who asked me to be a brave and face problems head-on? So why are you accepting my anger without fighting back? Because you are feeling guilty?"

Hepius stared at the floor, unable to meet Noah's eyes.

Watching him, Noah clicked his tongue. "Forget it, I'm not in the mood anymore."

Noah walked up to the corpse of Cerberus and evaluated it.

[ Cerberus Corpse - A corpse of the Hidden Dungeon Boss Cerberus, belonging to the Asura ranked Dungeon, Pantheon. It has many valuable uses and its meat is said to taste like heavenly steak. ]

"Food."

Noah's stomach protested. He was reminded that he hadn't eaten in a long time and a sudden hunger attacked him.

He used the swords of dead Nagas and looted everything of value from the boss monster's corpse.

[ You have successfully pillaged 'Bloodline Core' x 1 ]

[ You have successfully pillaged 'Cerberus Meat' x 15 ]

[ You have successfully pillaged 'Cerberus Bones' x 15 ]

[ You have successfully pillaged 'Cerberus Heart' x 1 ]

[ Skill Gutting has leveled up +7 levels ]

[ Skill Pillaging has leveled up +7 levels ]

Perhaps, since Cerberus was a hidden boss monster, his loot was extravagant.

However, Noah was too hungry to check their details. He raised the piece of meat and ate it raw.

"Blerg! What's this? It's fucking disgusting."

Noah vomited everything. He felt even sewage water tasted better than the meat.

"Isn't it supposed to taste good?"

It took him a bit of time to reach the crux of the matter. The problem wasn't meat but his own taste buds.

After Dracula bit him during his 7777th Revival, his body had undergone changes. As well as his race had also evolved.

"What did Vampires eat again?"

While he was deep in thoughts, he started drooling. Noah opened his mouth and sank his fangs in the meat unconsciously. His eyes turned red as he drank the blood.

[ Ding! You are absorbing the blood of a powerful species for the first time. Hidden Effect of Bloodline Skill 'Blood Drain' will activate. ]

[ Absorbing Stats ]

[ Divine Aura +3, Movement Speed +3, Dexterity +3 ]

Noah was engrossed in drinking the blood. It was so delectable that it pulled his attention entirely.

He ended up ignoring the system windows, busy drinking the blood and quenching his thirst. By the end, he drained all the blood as much as possible.

"Phew, I don't feel hungry anymore and the blood was tasty. That was a treat."

Satisfied, he lay on his back and spoke. "Don't worry too much about it."

Hepius realized Noah was talking to him.

"It wasn't your fault."

After that Noah didn't speak anymore.

Noah wasn't the one to forget his grudges. But he also wouldn't let anger cloud his judgment. Had Hepius not killed him, Cyrus would have.

Looking back it was weird. How was Cyrus able to locate him so seamlessly?

'I'll deal with that bastard when I leave the dungeon.'

Given Cyrus' seemingly omniscient knowledge, he might have known about Noah's unending deaths and lives. It also matched the fact that he talked about killing Noah once and for all.

Suppressed chuckles echoed in the cave. Hepius was holding his stomach, barely stopping his laughs from bursting out.

{S..so when thou said "It's time we settle our business." thou intend it as an at-attempt at reconciliation. Y-ye are incapable of honesty? Art thou, what people call, a tsundere? Pfffft…}

Noah's right eyebrow was twitching violently.

It was good that Hepius wasn't depressed anymore. But why was he being insulted? He was just trying to be considerate! He wasn't a tsundere!

'This old geezer ghost needs to be taught a lesson.'

He walked up to Hepius and opened his mouth, "Thinking about it again, I'm still a bit irritated. I think it's my right to hit you at least once in return."

{Very well, then. Proceed as thou wishest. It matters not, for thou cannot touch me. Bwahahahaha!}

Hepius started circling Noah while making all kinds of faces to annoy him.

"Sage Heal"

{Such tactics won't work against me…}

A marker appeared over Hepius' head, causing his smile to stiffen.

{Wa-wait…}

"You should read the description of skills properly." Noah smiled and waved.

"Inverse"

{Ahhhhhh!}

Cries of a naked ghost with smoke bottom echoed inside the cave for a long time.

—

Sage Heal (Active-type)

Tier: 0 Proficiency: 70/100 Cost: 50 D Cooldown: 20 seconds Cast Time: 0.5 seconds

Requirement: Hepius' Disciple Class

Skill Description: The highest peak of healing magic, Sage Heal doesn't only cure wounds, but also regrow severed limbs and heal souls.

Effect: Heals 10,000 Health Points of the marked targets in a 10-meter radius

—

Sage Resurrection (Active-type)

Tier: 0 Proficiency: 10/100 Cost: 60 D Cooldown: 48 hours Cast Time: 3 minutes

Requirement: Hepius' Disciple Class, The corpse must be at least 80% intact and should have died less than 90 minutes ago

Skill Description: The art of Reviving the dead. As the sole disciple of the great Hepius, your probability of succeeding in casting Resurrection is 100%. This skill is one of the reasons behind the demise of Hepius.

Effect: Can revive the dead with 10% HP restored.

—

Hepius was a ghost in his soul form which is why he could attack Noah's soul. And Sage Heal could affect souls.

His cries earned Noah's gloating.

Later, Noah checked on the corpses of Naga to taste their blood.

As soon as he stepped closer, a pungent odor attacked his nostrils. Noah could tell that, unlike Cerberus, the Nagas were rotting and their blood was now useless.

With his stomach filled and drowsiness vanishing, Noah set out to train. He wasn't yet out of the Dungeon. At the same time, Hepius was in a corner, grumbling that his disciple had no shame in treating the elderly miserably.

Noah used the 'Training Chamber' and activated it.

The silver cube thumped before pulling Noah inside it. He appeared in a white space that expanded infinitely. The surroundings almost seemed unreal.

Noah realized he was standing on a black platform that had blue lines dividing it at equal intervals.

[ Would you like to activate the Gravity Chamber? ]

Noah took a deep breath and prepared himself. "Yes"

[ Beginning Simulation: 2x Gravity ]

Bam!

Noah was smashed into the floor almost instantly. His muscles stretched to an unnatural degree, bones creaked and vision narrowed. He almost felt as if he was being squashed alive.

Most people think that doubling gravity only increases the weight, however, it is far more dangerous in reality.

The biggest hurdle is the increased blood pressure and the heart which has to pump blood under such conditions. A small change in gravity is enough to kill most people, and Noah was understanding it with his own body.

Noah raised his arm, intending to increase his stats, when a sudden force smacked his hand away.

"Why are you stopping me?" He questioned Hepius who was stopping him.

{My thoughts exactly. Pray tell, why dost thou engage in training if thou intendest to surmount the challenges merely by expending Attribute Points?}

"How else am I supposed to train when I can't even stand? Do you have a better idea?" he spoke while creasing his brows.

{Of course, I do! Who does doth think thee are talking to!? I'm Hepius, the Saint Sage. Now, do as I say and thee shall be standing on thine feet with ease.}

"No, thanks. I doubt you can teach me anything."

A short silence ensued which was soon followed by Hepius' bellows.

{Stand up, thou ignorant disciple! In a mere 7 days I shall mold thee into a formidable being capable of vanquishing Heracles without lifting a single finger! But mark my words, do not dare bend thy knees in servitude when that day arrives!}