Moving parts

I flew up in the sky and created a tornedo right underneath my left foot and stepped onto the soldiers. I didn't care much whether they were alive or dead at this point. I had to reach the end goal before the war breaks out.

"Dhaarth, you know who I am and so, you must know you simply can not win against me. Step aside and you'd save the kingdom from any more casualties. I'm here for the eye of tryam and nothing more. I'll tak-" Before I could finish my sentence, he attacked me with a water canon. I dashed around it and got close to him.

"One issue after another..." I breezed past the attack marking the dragon with corrosion.

"You monster do not belong to this world!" Dhaarth cried out as it felt pain of the corrosion.

"I know." I landed back on the ground and looked up at him. "So, want to continue fighting? If you're trying to wait for backup then... let me make this clear, I will not hesitate anymore. It'd be like telling those soldiers to jump in pit of lava."

"I AM THE EARTH DRAGON! I will NOT die in vain!" It started stomping the ground causing earthquake. I stumbled and fell on my butt. It tried to stomp me but I quickly released all the built-up corrosion into Dhaarth killing him instantly. It must've thought corrosion can only be applied once. That's why it is best to know thy enemy. I punched into Dhaarth's body and pulled out it's core.

"This should help me with Earth magic." I absorbed the core into my body. Well, it usually happens on its own but I have to continue moving forward.

As I entered the capital, I moved towards the palace but the streets looked awfully lifeless. Not a single soul in sight. But as I reached the palace, there was the crowd gathered in front of the palace gates. Huh... that clears it up. 

"The palace had locked away the ancient power but it was not strong enough! The corrupt noblemen used the knowledge to blackmail his highness and stopped him from taking any actions to protect the public! These greedy and selfish noblemen are already dealt with! The lives lost can no longer come back but what can be done is to pay for reparation. Using the properties and wealth of the convicted noblemen, we will make sure the infrastructure of the kingdom is so splendid that no calamity would ever threaten the life of it's civilians." Kristine spoke. Seems like she is giving speech. Perfect timing.

I snuck into the palace using my flight ability and moved towards the basement. That's where the eye was kept. There is really no need for me to be discreet anymore but I really don't want much attention from Kristine. I created an area of effect of corrosion so that any guard who'd come near me would instantly fall sick or asleep. I entered the basement and walked downstairs. It seems like the basement goes much deeper than I had thought. From what I know, Ace's clothes weren't found here, so, there is still a chance that he is alive somewhere.

As I kept walking downstairs, I bumped into people. Why are there humans here...?

"Are you sure this will help?" One masked man asked.

"Of course! Those bloody monsters have already sent the declaration of war. We have no choice but to activate it." Other man said.

The group surrounded something I couldn't really see.

"Mind if I join in?" I asked.

The men quickly pulled out weapons pointing towards me.

"Don't mind if I do." I dashed past them snatching whatever the object of interest was and lucky me, it was the eye of Tryam. 

<Do you want to activate 'Eye of Tryam'?>

A dialogue box appeared in front of me.

"Yes." I said and it seems a lot of my abilities changed. Do I have anything extra...? I wondered as I flew up to the exit door.

My mirror of honesty abilities changed a little bit.

Fire: Increases speed while in flight. > Increased perception while flying

Water: Increases the range of magic attacks. > For every one second of magic travelling, it's damage increase by 5%, up to 10 stacks.

Wind: Decreases stamina consumption while in flight. > Increases the efficiency of the magic used to sustain the state while further decreasing the consumption of magic stamina by 30%

Ice: Increases attack and defense by 20% each. > Increases chances of landing a critical hit by 25%

Electro: Creates three balls of lighting that intersects oncoming projectiles. > Every three seconds, the balls of lighting will shoot out coordinated electric attack scaling 33% of the max attack stat.

Nature: Continuously heals the user while in flight. > Healing bonus of 45%.

*At a time, only two of the abilities can be active and user has to land before changing the elements on the Mirror. > At a time, only three of the abilities can be active and user has to land before changing the elements on the mirror.

Am I again playing into the hands of the fate? Why is this eye specifically for my abilities...? According to that woman, I'm walking down the path Askai did all those centuries ago and it seems like I'm gaining the abilities he had. So, whether I was dating Kristine or not didn't matter. I would've refused the proposal regardless?

I dashed out of the palace to head back to my secret base when I felt a strong presence nearby. A member of ascendants... professor is here?! Are they making moves already?! 

Given they think three of the thirteen ascendants are dead, maybe the king is worried. Plus now that they know links are too strong, maybe he is even more worried.

So in overworld two major factions are already moving? I have to go to other side and see what's going on there.

...

I walked back inside and sighed as I sat on the couch. The speech just now was so anxiety inducing.

"Miss Feishu, all the guards inside the palace have succumbed to corrosion, please exit the palace as fast as possible!" A guard barged into our room.

"Call the healers!" Feishu ordered before getting up. "Let's go. Corrosion isn't exactly something we should stay near."

The two of us were taken to a carriage and away to some location I had no idea.

"Corrosion... those monsters from the assembly of forgotten can apply corrosion. How did... a monster enter the building without being detected?" I thought to myself. "Only high ranked monsters can apply corrosion and ... no one saw anything till it happened?!"

"Maybe my kingdom is being directly targeted by some group or organization." Feishu said. "First, the civil unrest and then that ancient power... then a monster entering the fricking palace. It just doesn't stop."

"Maybe the other side wants all of us dead." A man sitting next to us said as he sipped his tea.

"Yea... wait! Who are you!?" I quickly pulled out my weapon.

"Don't worry. I can't fight. I was never blessed so I can't use magic. I am professor, number eight. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

...

The five of us were on our journey to Shulian to meet up with Kristine.

"What if she is still head over heels for that dead meat?" Jennie asked.

"Then we will have no option but to get rid of her. Our end goal is to kill all those beasts so that all of humanity can live in peace like the Gods intended." James answered.

"I hate how he died by someone else's hands..." Barbara spoke. Rosaline and Feisha agreed.

...

"If the war comes to pass... who would you side with?" Kilmari asked.

"A war?" Layla asked as she faced the four gods.

"The hero will lead the humanity to war against the beastfolks. The link of recollection also favors humanity and so the winter's constellation will fall into hands of the hero. The war had never actually ended, currently battles are merely continuation of past wars. So, as the core, shouldn't you also side with the creation of the origin and side with us?" Viniga asked.

"I would prefer if no one had to suffer again... but if the day ever comes, I will side against the throne of the heaven."

"There is no helping that then... And soon another calamity will befall the beastfolks." Kilmari ended the meeting and Layla was back in the kingdom of Commeiku.

"I have to find Kenji..." Layla whispered to herself.