Disheartened/Meeting with Ashur again.

"I wish to proceed."

{Processing Request...}

{....}

{Request Granted}.

{Select: Affirmative}.

{Please Standby for exchange}.

{....}

{Host has acquired the ability to create a mana shard... The production process begins...}

{....}

Cain could feel his organs being moved around, as the feeling of being burnt alive quickly overwhelmed him.

"ARGHHHH!"

He felt as though his blood was boiling his organs, turning them into stewed meat, while his bones served as the ladles for stirring it up. His joints rattled in their sockets, as his already weary body began to feel even more exhausted.

But he couldn't even breathe because of the damned pain...

The pain refused to go away. It was slowly eating him up from the inside, threatening to consume whatever life he had within his body.

He felt the most pain in his chest, right beside his heart. He could feel the majority of the blood in his body flowing toward that section of his chest. It was a strange feeling, being able to know what was happening within your own body, yet not being able to do anything about it.

'What the hell is going on?! Why does it hurt so god-damned much?!'

{Replying to host: There have been a few... complications}.

'Complications?!' Cain couldn't believe what he was hearing.

{Replying to host: Yes, complications}.

'But I thought you said it was safe?! So what's the problem now?!'

{Replying to host: The host never asked for information on the safety levels associated with a mutation of this degree, or the success rate. Hence, bound by the laws that govern all, it is not my place to say a thing}.

'Fuck! Well, tell me how dangerous this mutation is then?! Hurry! I don't care how many system points you need. Just do it!'

{Replying to host: Processing Response}.

{Replying to host: Request Granted}.

{Replying to host: Regarding the danger levels of a mutation like this, it is important to know that mutations on this level have a 90–99.99% mortality rate}.

'What the hell?!'

Cain's bloodshot eyes widened even further due to this latest piece of information.

'So why did you suggest it in the first place?!'

{Replying to host: Because you asked}.

'You-!'

{"..."}

'Ha... What can I do to increase my chances?'

At this point, Cain had already calmed down. He began to think and realized he hadn't thought things through before he made his decision. If he had, with how smart he was, he would have gotten around to addressing details as important as this. If he had, he wouldn't have made such a newbie mistake.

{Replying to host: There is no course of action the host can take at the moment that will influence the mutation}.

'I'm fucked.'

Cain decided to leave his fate in the hands of destiny...

'If I live, I live. If I die, I hope everyone else does with me.' This was the last thought that drifted through his mind as his consciousness slowly drifted into darkness. The last thing he could sense as he lost consciousness, was the overwhelming feeling of burning completely consuming his body.

***

Cain eventually came to within the dark abyssal void deep within his consciousness. He was standing on the same colossal continent of an island that floated in pitch-black darkness.

"Welcome back."

Cain turned to stare at the magnificent golden dragon floating within the void. The golden dragon was still the same since he had seen him the last time. Golden scales stretched out all across the expanse of his body. Menacing horns jutted out of his crown and spine, making it look both evil and majestic at the same time. His wings spread wide, covering almost all Cain could see.

"Ashur..." Cain said as he marveled at the sight of the miraculous creature.

"We do not have time to chat, so I'll spare you the details. Take the [Records of Akasha] and pour a drop of blood onto it. That will get you out of whatever predicament you are currently in."

Unlike last time, the golden dragon seemed different. He spoke in a more serious tone, and he didn't transform into his human form. He spoke with way more authority and power than before, completely different from how he spoke the first time they had met.

But Cain also had a few questions of his own...

"I need to know why," Cain said in a strong-willed tone as well.

"Your life is in the balance right now. Any more time wasted, and you can go right off the edge. At that point, nothing can save you. Do what I say immediately. " Ashur said in a tone that created no room for bargaining.

"You have to tell me why. I need more information. The stupid system doesn't do shit, so I have only myself to rely on. But I need your help. I no longer want to get kept in the dark like this!" Cain said, anger and frustration building up in his words.

"Today, I nearly lost my life in a fight because I was too weak. If I didn't plan adequately, I'd be dead by now. And now, I'm about to meet my end due to a freaking stupid decision. So right now, I need to know why I need to do what you ask of me." Cain stared directly into the twin orbs of black and white that gazed into his very soul.

"Hmmm...."

A deep rumbling noise escaped from the throat of the giant dragon.

"I can't tell you everything, but I will be able to tell you this. Within the tome lies something that will get you out of your current predicament."

"You can choose to do it or not. That's the difference between life and death, as I have no other way to help you. The choice is yours."

Once he was done saying his piece, the giant dragon stared at Cain in silence, awaiting his response.

Cain began to ponder...

He seriously had no other options. He was relying on Ashur's charity to survive, just like how he had to rely on Teddy's help as well. On the two occasions when his life was in danger, he couldn't do anything, except accept the charity of others.

He had to accept the reality...

He was weak.

He was powerless, useless, and incapable of protecting his ideals and values.

The only option possible for him was death...

"Fine, death it is then."

With that being said, Cain attempted to collapse onto the hard cold ground with his body devoid of all motivation.

'I guess my resolve isn't as strong as I thought it was.'

Alas, the golden dragon was having none of that...

"FOOL!"

BANG!!!

A world-shattering pressure descended upon Cain like a colossal mountain. The eyes of Ashur burned with black and white colored flames as he let out an angry roar.

'Shit! I can't move!'

The pressure bearing down on him made it so that he couldn't even twitch his muscles.

"You are a fool if you think dying is the best option. That would be a big disgrace to the potential you possess. Just how little do you think a dragon's time is worth?! Do you think I, the great Ashur, will waste my time on trash?!"

The roars of rage seemed to stir up something within Cain's soul as well.

In his rage, he began to fight against the pressure bearing down on him.

"Show me that you have what it takes to bear my legacy! Fight it! Show me where your pride is!"

'I'll show you who's trash!'

Cain kept struggling. Even though he was just about to give up a moment ago, here he was, struggling to preserve the last bit of his pride.

"Are you so useless that you will be pushed to your knees by the fear of death?! Are you so weak?!"

'I'm not weak! I am not useless!'

Cain suddenly came to a realization...

He had been looking at it wrong all this time.

BOOM!

Suddenly, he had a profound moment of comprehension...

"ROAR!"

A guttural roar escaped from his lips before he even knew what he was doing...

'Yes! That is it! Show me you deserve what it takes to bear the soul of a dragon!'

"ROAR!"

This time, Cain voluntarily let out a roar that came from the depths of his soul.

An ancient, savage aura burst out from his depths like a volcanic eruption. A deep golden aura enveloped his entire being as his eyes developed a new glint within them.

"I know what I have to do now."

"Good. Only you can grasp destiny with your hands. Remember this."

With that being said, Ashur extended a single claw just like last time, sending Cain away from the huge island floating within the void.

Once he was gone, Ashur let out a sigh of exhaustion as his giant dragon form began to flicker a bit, sometimes appearing real, while at others, taking on the characteristics of a phantom image.

"What does it cost to change the direction the river of time flows in and how the threads of fate are pulled?"

He stared at the lonely, empty void around him as he let out a sigh that made the void tremble...

"I'm coming for you, Tian."

***

Cain suddenly sat up with a sudden jolt.

His hand was still glued to Teddy who was still seated beside him on its furry behind with its eyes closed. It was most likely digesting the gains it got from Cain.

The burning pain within his body hadn't faded away at all. It had even intensified if anything.

But this time, there was no panic in his eyes.

Swiftly, he summoned the tome, [Records of Akasha I] from his inventory.

The cover of tome was covered in all sorts of ancient glyphs and runes. At the center of the time, the runic symbols representing all the primary elements of mana lay organized in a specific pattern. But these weren't Cains's focus as he swiftly followed Ashur's instructions.

He bit the tip of his finger and didn't even flinch as his blood flowed out in trickles onto the surface of the tome.

'I hope this works.'

Cain waited with bated breath, as the pain within his body grew more and more in intensity. His stomach churned, and he felt all his organs begin to reject the air around him as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. This mouthful of blood just so happened to land on the [Records of Akasha I].

The time glowed with golden light as it began to absorb the blood stuck to its surface. Once all the blood had been absorbed, the tome magically opened up, and a bead of golden light emerged from within its pages. This bead of light swiftly flew in the air, before burrowing into his chest, all without leaving any signs of its existence.

Cain watched all this a bit confused.

'What was that?' Cain thought to himself in amazement.

Suddenly, amidst the pain, he began to feel it...

THUMP!

THUMP!

THUMP!

The pain slowly faded away, but Cain could sense that thing within him was changing the fundamentals of his very existence.

His chest heaved up and down as his breath began to speed up. He somehow could feel the existence of a second heart within him...